Orlando City UK celebrates our sixth birthday: 2021 round-up

Orlando City UK celebrates our sixth birthday

Just where did all the time go? Today, we’re celebrating our sixth birthday here at Orlando City UK with our Official International Fan Club of Orlando City SC established six years ago.

After last season’s playoff heartbreak, Oscar Pareja has Orlando City SC in the post-season yet again with our loyal UK supporters still passionately supporting from the United Kingdom.

No Orlando City SC game 🙁

Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 was the first time in six years that Orlando City UK didn’t visit Central Florida for an Orlando City SC fixture.

Missing The City Beautiful like never before, we are making plans to return in 2022 so keep your eyes peeled!

2021 Orlando City SC home jersey (Thick N Thin) unboxing

Each time a new Orlando City SC jersey is released, we like to provide our Twitter followers an up close and personal look at the latest design.

In late March, we finally got our hands on the 2021 Orlando City SC home jersey (Thick N Thin) and did our own unboxing video.

This year, we opted to get Robin Jansson‘s name on the back of our home purple.

2021 Orlando City SC “Love Unites” Pride pre-match top unboxing

After the 2021 Orlando City SC “Love Unites” Pride pre-match top was released in May, we got our hands on the jersey in June.

We did another unboxing video, taking a closer look at the pre-match jersey and the features making up the design.

2021 Orlando City SC Adidas PRIMEBLUE jersey unboxing

After the 2021 Orlando City SC Adidas PRIMEBLUE jersey was revealed on May 20, we got our hands on the kit in June.

We did our own unboxing video, taking a closer look at the one-off jersey, made with recycled Parley Ocean Plastic™, and the features making up the design.

2021 Orlando City SC goalkeeper jersey unboxing

After the 2021 Orlando City SC goalkeeper jersey was released for public sale, we got our hands on the kit back in August.

We did another unboxing video, taking a closer look at the jersey, made with recycled Parley Ocean Plastic™, and the features that make up the Lions’ design.

Membership growth

Orlando City UK Fan Map - 021117

Welcoming even more Orlando City UK members in 2021, our Official International Fan Club of Orlando City SC now boasts 64 loyal and passionate members spread across the UK, Europe and North America.

As you can see from our Orlando City UK Fan MapOrlando City SC supporters are spread throughout every corner of Great Britain, underlining the Lions’ mass appeal on our shores.

Since establishing Orlando City UK in November 2015, it’s been an aim of mine to make Orlando City SC the best supported Major League Soccer franchise in Great Britain and for us, we are exactly that!

Sign up for Orlando City UK membership yourself by clicking here.

Live Blog matchday coverage

Now I’m living back in the United Kingdom, I’m desperately missing watching Major League Soccer fixtures at sensible times.

Living in Canada for 1.5 years meant watching Orlando City SC in the PM more often than the AM!

Conducting live blog matchday coverage yet again in 2021, we’ve so far kept Orlando City SC supporters up-to-date with the key plays from 26 of the Lions’ 35 fixtures (MLS and 2021 Leagues Cup) in real time on Twitter.

A hugely effective way to join in the greater Orlando City SC conversation online, we thank every single follower for their likes, comments and retweets throughout the 2021 campaign.

And who could forget the high of Nani‘s late strike to defeat rivals Atlanta United 3-2 back on July 30?

Not me!

36 Stats Previews (so far!)

Orlando City UK yet again provided comprehensive Statistical Match Previews for every single one of Orlando City SC‘s 34 MLS regular season fixtures with each each article including five researched stats.

Add in Orlando City SC‘s 2021 Leagues Cup quarter-final with Santos Laguna, and our forthcoming 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs game with Nashville SC, and Orlando City UK has so far generated a whopping 180 individual stats in 2021.

Set to contest the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs, Orlando City UK will provide comprehensive Stats Previews until our last ball is kicked.

Every Orlando City UK stat was also shared with the Orlando City SC community on Twitter as part of our gameday social media output.

Zoom interview series

Today, what on Earth would the world do without Zoom?

Helping everybody stay in touch in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, Orlando City UK used the platform to conduct interviews with fellow and rival MLS supporters.

Back in early April, we previewed Orlando City SC’s 2021 MLS campaign with fellow die-hard, Charlotte Patterson.

Throughout May, we interviewed UK NYCFC, D.C. United Kingdom, and RBNYUK to preview Orlando City SC games against New York City FC, D.C. United, and New York Red Bulls.

Then in June, we interviewed RBNYUK again to preview New York Red Bulls’ July 3 trip to Exploria Stadium.

Stay tuned for more match preview interviews with fellow and rival MLS fans, plus other Orlando City SC personalities in 2022.

Regular news output

While statistical previews were Orlando City UK’s main offering to the Orlando City SC community online, so too were the biggest Orlando City SC headlines of the year.

As part of our crowdsourced segment “Twitter Reacts”, Orlando City UK wrote features about player acquisitions including Brandon Austin, Alexandre Pato, and Silvester van der Water.

Plus, who could forget about Daryl Dike‘s surprise February 1 loan to EFL Championship side Barnsley?

Delighted to see Dike relish his time at Oakwell with 9 goals for the Tykes, I joined The English Lion (Dan Berridge) on UK Deadline Day to react to the switch.

We also wrote features about the 2021 Orlando City SC home jersey launch, the 2021 Orlando City SC Adidas PRIMEBLUE jersey, and Chris Mueller leaving Orlando City SC at the end of 2021.

Plus, we covered Orlando City SC transfer rumours throughout 2021, including Henrique, Nahuel Gallardo, Emmanuel Mas (who later signed), Julián Álvarez, and Facundo Farías.

Interview appearances

Always delighted to discuss Orlando City SC online, I joined Barnsley fan channel The Reds Report on February 8 to introduce Tykes supporters to their new loan signing, Daryl Dike.

Visiting Orlando FAQs launched

With the United States lifting its travel ban and reopening its borders to fully-vaccinated UK holidaymakers on Monday, November 8, 2021, Orlando City UK celebrated by adding a new section to our website.

Entitled “Visiting Orlando – FAQs”, this section contains absolutely everything there is to know about making the most out of your trip to watch Orlando City SC play live.

Consider this your comprehensive guide to matchday tickets, getting to Exploria Stadium, sampling the gameday experience, and much more.

Check it out today by clicking here.

Thanks for your support!

Orlando City UK is looking forward to providing in-depth coverage of Orlando City SC throughout the off-season and into 2022.

We’d like to take this moment to thank every single one of our followers for your unwavering support.

Support Orlando City UK

Passionate about what we do, Orlando City UK content will always be free. The most important thing for us is sharing our love of Orlando City SC with you all and donations are by no means expected. However, if you enjoy our content, a token towards the regular maintenance of Orlando City UK is hugely appreciated!

Let us know what content you enjoyed and what you’d like to see from Orlando City UK in 2022.

Comment below or tweet us at @Orlando_CityUK.

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