Ian chats with 1812 FC Managing Partner Andrew Weilgus about the latest with the Barrie area’s first pro soccer club.
Find more about 1812 FC on their website, and on FB. And check out the great local businesses who are supporting the club!
Barrie 1812FC
Andrew Weilgus – Managing Partner of 1812FC
We chatted with Andrew Weilgus, managing partner of 1812FC about a professional soccer club coming to Barrie. And find out more about 1812 FC, with links to their social media channels on their website!
Barrie’s Very Own Professional Soccer Team – 1812 FC Unveiled
We are late at getting on this particular bandwagon, we apologize. We may be late, but we are very excited about a professional soccer team coming to Barrie (our president only accepts it being called football, he’s from across the pond, oh well).
He played soccer (football) for many years in Scotland, England and N. Ireland himself, so he is especially enthused about this announcement. Mind you he wasn’t very good, and one of the managers he played for once described him as “deceptively slow.”
Anyway, we digress. We think Barrie is an ideal city to launch a professional team and will only get better as the city expands.
The 1812 FC team is headed by managing partner Andrew Weilgus supported by his executive team, Peter Raco, David Goldstein, Marl Cristante, Will Devellis and Ronan Cordelle. Andrew has the right pedigree to lead the application of the expansion to compete in the 2021 League1 Ontario season. He is co-owner of Atlantic City FC who play in the National Premier Soccer League. Andrew brings the financial infrastructure required to build this franchise. To help on the business side, he has strong support from Peter Raco; Peter comes with an impressive financial background.
In setting up the team they have teamed up with Barrie Soccer Club who will handle the technical side of the team. This brings a strong local influence as Barrie Soccer club has a rich history and has been in existence for 52 years
If you wonder about where the unusual name of the club 1812 FC came from? It came from the founding of Barrie as a settlement itself, which occurred due to the War of 1812. Their club badge has the horseshoe in it reflecting the Golden Horseshoe.
So what can we expect, initially playing in 2021 League 1 of Ontario their ambition does not stop there. With the support of the community or Barrie, could they get to the Canadian Premier League? I am sure that with the people leading this initiative, it is at least on their radar.