A beloved member of the Tampa Bay Rowdies Family is returning to the fold.
After three years away from the game, former England international and Rowdies midfielder has inked a new deal to return to the Green & Gold. Cole will not be available for selection for this Saturday’s away match at Oakland Roots SC, but the midfielder will be cleared in time to play for Tampa Bay in the club’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Second Round matchup versus The Villages SC on Tuesday, April 5 at 7:30pm at Al Lang Stadium.
Cole arrives back in Tampa Bay at the start of a busy month for the Rowdies. The Rowdies have seven matches on their docket in April, with a potential eighth match to add on later in the month should they defeat The Villages in their Open Cup matchup on Tuesday.
“Joe is someone I was very close with while we were teammates here in Tampa Bay and we’ve kept in touch over the years since he decided to retire,” said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. “He’s someone I believe never lost, that’s never lost that hunger to compete. I’m not all concerned with the time he’s spent away from playing. Someone of his level never really loses that edge that makes them extra special. If Tom Brady can come out of retirement, Joe Cole certainly has plenty left in the tank to give.”
Cole spent three seasons with the Rowdies before retiring at the end of 2018, bagging 20 goals in 76 total appearances. Cole,40, first rose to prominence in the Premier League while at West Ham United from 1998-2003. He then moved on to find great success at Chelsea, where he helped the London-based club to capture three Premier League titles and two FA Cup championships.
“I’ve missed playing and I’ve missed Tampa Bay a great deal,” said Cole. “There’s always been this nagging voice in the back of my head that I’ve left with some unfinished business on the table. Neill and the staff have put together a great group, full of fantastic players. I can’t wait to dig in and do my bit to help the team.”
Cole joined the Rowdies in training this week after arriving last Saturday, just a couple hours before the Rowdies kicked off against Hartford Athletic. He viewed the match from the AL Lang VIP Suite, alongside Rowdies legend Georgi Hritsov.
“I’ve kept close tabs on the progress Neill has made with the club over here. Obviously Neill and I are very close. I knew he would be a great success as a manager and he’s proven that,” said Cole. “I flew in last week and went to see the lads play against Hartford. I always loved it here. The place was buzzing. I’m just delighted to have a chance to play in front of the fans at Al Lang again.”
Following Saturday’s match at Oakland Roots SC, the Rowdies return to Al Lang Stadium for three straight home matches, including Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup match vs the Villages. Fans can secure tickets for those matches as well as all of the Rowdies remaining home matches at rowdiessoccer.com/tickets or by calling the Rowdies ticket office at 727-222-2000.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies wish everyone a Happy April Fools’ Day!
