Orlando City SC’s preparations for next season are already underway after nine Lions stars were cut from the playing roster today.

Among the players departing Central Florida this November are Lewis Neal who racked up over 40 appearances for the club in two separate spells, both in USL and Major League Soccer, not to mention a shock departure for current number one and fan favourite Tally ‘The Wall’ Hall.

The seven other City players departing the Lions are Corey Ashe, Eric Avila, Adam Bedell, Tony Cascio, Josh Ford, Danny Mwanga and Sidney Rivera.

Ashe and Avila accumulated 30 City appearances between them in MLS this past season but for the other five,  first team playing chances in Adrian Heath’s side were extremely hard to come by.

Bedell was of course sent out on loan to Danish outfit HB Køge after arriving from Columbus Crew, Mwanga only received rare outings in the US Open Cup and both Rivera and Ford spent much of the season in the USL and NASL with Louisville City, Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Fort Lauderdale Strikers respectively.

In Tony Cascio, the former Colarado Rapids midfielder missed the entire duration of the season through injury and the Lions have now made the decision not to re-sign the Arizona native.

Speaking after the news that the nine players have now been cut from the squad, Chief Soccer Officer at Orlando, Armando Carneiro noted: “We’d like to thank these terrific players for their significant contributions to the club’s historic first Major League Soccer season.

“We wish them the best of luck in their careers moving forward.”