Legion FC Going for Three Points as Briggs Takes on Former Club

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – In the midst of a stretch of three matches in a week, Birmingham Legion FC has no time sulk after letting an early lead evaporate at Louisville City FC last Saturday. The Three Sparks will now look to right the ship in front of its home crowd when it hosts Sacramento Republic FC on Wednesday at Protective Stadium in a meeting of two clubs who are in need of three points. But beyond the stakes, there will be an emotional tinge to the proceedings as Legion FC coach Mark Briggs faces Sacramento for the first time after spending five seasons there.

“It’s a team I’ve obviously got fond memories with and it’s been home for the past five years,” Briggs said. “It’s a great club and there are great people at that club. I have a lot of respect for the fanbase, the ownership and everyone involved in that club, but tomorrow I want to beat them.”

It’s hard not for Briggs to get nostalgic about his time with Sacramento Republic. After all, that’s where 74 of his 114 career wins as a head coach come from, which includes a banner run to the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup finals. That’s not to mention all of the relationships with players he built up with over the years, many of whom are still playing for the side.

That familiarity could pay dividends for Birmingham on Wednesday’s contest, but that also is the case on the other side as well.

“It’s very similar with a lot of the same personnel,” Briggs explained, comparing the style of Sacramento’s play under him and the style under new head coach Neill Collins. “I know those guys inside and out and still communicate with a lot of them. I know them, but they also know me, so whether that’s an advantage or not, we will see. But with regards to preparation, having someone you know very well is a positive.”

Meanwhile, Briggs’ current players are finding some extra motivation heading into the match.

“Of course we want to win this one for him,” said defender Phanuel Kavita said. “I’m sure there will be a little extra emotion for him going against his former club, so it would be very nice to get these three points for him, but also, for us, this is a very crucial game.”

Following the 4-2 loss to Louisville last Saturday, Birmingham currently finds itself in 10th place in the USL Championship Eastern Conference standings at 10 points. And while there’s still a few more matches to go before reaching the halfway point of the season, Legion FC can ill afford to drop many more points if it wants to get back in the thick of playoff positioning.

This upcoming two-match homestand could certainly help in going up against a Sacramento side that is in a similar spot as Birmingham in the West table, before taking on 11th placed Oakland Roots SC.

What’s also working in Legion FC’s favor is some much needed reinforcements with defender AJ Paterson getting his first minutes of the season against Louisville. Following a lengthy recovery of a lower-body injury that kept him on the sidelines for more than three months, Paterson made the most of his 23 minutes on the pitch on Saturday by winning his only tackle and all four of his duels.

“It was amazing,” Paterson noted of returning to action. “We had been working so hard, had some setbacks and it had been a long recovery to get back on the field, so to put the jersey on and hear my name get called again was an amazing feeling.”

Paterson now looks forward to working his body back to 90-minute fitness and reestablishing himself on the backline as Legion FC looks to cement its identity under Briggs, and a win against Sacramento can go a long way in doing just that.

“That’s where we have to go as a collective,” Briggs said. “Have an identity based on our city and the values of the people in our city.”

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