Image by Flickr user joncandy Nottingham Forest playing at home in England.
Update: The game has been called off as Nottingham Forest has canceled it's U.S. tour.
The Charleston Battery's was slated for a July 28 match versus Nottingham.
Nottingham Forest was purchased by a new ownership group this week and they subsequently cancelled their pre-season tour.
"Obviously we are very disappointed that we will not be able to play Nottingham Forest at the end of the month," said Charleston Battery President Andrew Bell. "We have a long tradition of hosting international teams and it's a game that our fans always look forward to. I know there will be much disappointment on hearing the news and I'd like to apologize on behalf of the Battery."
The cancellation of the match is the result of several changes made at Nottingham Forest in the last week. The club was bought on Tuesday by the Al-Hasawi family, and today it was announced that manager Steve Cotterill is departing the club with immediate effect.
These changes forced the cancellation of the entire U.S. tour including games in Orlando, FL on July 21 and Charleston, SC on July 28 as Nottingham Forest must now search for a new manager and new players with just over a month left until the first match of the 2012-13 nPower Championship season.
Those that have purchased tickets to this game can swap the ticket value of the ticket for Charleston Battery tickets at a later game this summer. For those unable to attend a later Battery match a full refund will be offered.
For information about ticket refunds and transfers please call (843) 971-GOAL (4625).
The Charleston Battery continues its USL PRO campaign with a game this Saturday night at Blackbaud Stadium versus the Wilmington Hammerheads; gates open at 6:00 PM with kick off set for 7:30 PM. $10 - $18, 971-GOAL (4625).
First reporting: The the Charleston Battery is slated to take on the two-time European champions Nottingham Forest at Blackbaud Stadium on Saturday, July 28, and it will continue a 20 year tradition of Charleston hosting and playing international soccer teams.
That tradition began in the Battery's inaugural season back in 1993 when Charleston defeated Jamaica's Constant Spring FC 2-1 behind goals from Guy Norcott and Nigel James. The Battery played a second international exhibition that season losing in May, 1993 1-0 to Latvian side, FK-RAF Riga.
In 1996 the Battery played a different type of international exhibition as it squared off with the US Olympic team as part of the USA's preparations for the Atlanta Olympics. The Battery scored via a Chris Dias goal but lost the game 2-1 in OT.
Following the game against the USMNT it was six years before the Battery would host an international exhibition again as Charleston took on Mexican Primera side Puebla F.C. in July 2002. The game was an ill-tempered affair, Charleston finished the match with nine men after suffering two player ejections - plus a third red card that saw head coach Chris Ramsey sidelined - but the Battery prevailed with Steve Klein scoring the winner in the 2-1 victory.
The following season the Battery hosted a second Mexican side but suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Atlante F.C. The result remains the most lop-sided scoreline among all the international games that the Charleston Battery has played.
In 2004 Charleston took on then English Championship side Sunderland A.F.C winning by a score of two goals to one with a goal from Paul Conway and the game winner scored by Paraguayan midfielder Jesus Martinez. Sunderland's squad included Irish midfielder Liam Lawrence who would make a return visit to Charleston with Portsmouth FC seven years later in 2011.
In 2007 the Battery hosted a second Jamaican Premier League side Village United defeating Village 2-1 with goals from Ian Fuller and Chris Brunt. The Village United game was organized as part of the transfer deal that saw Jamaican internationals Shane Crawford and Omar Daley come to the Battery.
In 2010 it was another English side that visited Blackbaud Stadium as the then EPL Bolton Wanderers defeated the Battery 2-0 in front of a capacity crowd. Then last season Charleston hosted England's Portsmouth F.C. for an extended ten-day training camp that saw the sides meet twice. In the first game - held behind closed doors - the Battery and Pompey played to a 2-2 tie and then in the second match played to a 0-0 tie in front of a boisterous Wednesday night crowd.
Tickets for the Battery vs Forest match are on $15; (843) 971-GOAL (4625) or www.charlestonbattery.com.
