Welcome to the last part of the four-part series where we put the spotlight on the newest signings to the 2022 Union Omaha roster. While this may be the last part, this player is, by no means, the least valuable. He is very familiar with the pro-soccer landscape of American, including USL League One. In yesterday’s announcement, Union Omaha announced the signing of center-forward Alex Bruce.
Coming from Newcastle, England, Bruce crossed the Atlantic Ocean and eventually found himself winning the 2017 US Soccer Development Academy title while playing with youth-squad Texans Houston SC. In 2018, he joined USL Championship-side San Antonio FC. During his time with the club, he earned 13 appearances, 8 starts, and 3 goals. In 2019, he was loaned to Lansing Ignite FC of USL League One and made 23 appearances, 12 of which were starts. Bruce was also able to score three goals and earn 2 assists in the same season. His efforts helped the club reach a 2nd place finish in the regular season. Bruce was even able to appear in the USL League One Semifinals, playing 72 minutes in a losing effort to the eventual runner-up Greenville Triumph. Once the season ended, Lansing Ignite FC ceased operations and Bruce was back on the search for a club. His search didn’t take very long, as fellow USL League One-side, and then-champion, North Texas SC invited him to join the club.
Over the course of the 2020 and 2021 USL League One seasons, Bruce made 32 appearances and starting on 13 occasions. In the same time period, he found the net four times and added two assists to his stats. An interesting note from his time at North Texas SC actually comes at the expense of Union Omaha. His first assist for North Texas SC occurred in the 2-2 draw against Union Omaha during the 2020 regular season.
Union Omaha head coach Jay Mims emphasized Bruce’s experience in his quote for the press release:
“Alex is a quality forward who can score goals and bring midfielders into the game. I am thrilled to have a player of his experience within our team as he understands the amount of work and preparation it takes to succeed over the course of a USL season.”
In the same press release, Alex Bruce expressed his own excitement ahead of the upcoming season:
“I’m excited for the opportunity to play in the stadium and to be able to play in front of the fans,” Bruce said.
He elaborated further on Twitter, saying “Grateful for the new opportunity and to be able to continue playing the sport I love. Thanks for those around me who continue to help me on and off the field this one’s for you. Year 5 let’s do it!”
Bruce joins an offensive unit that experienced a lot of turnover in the offseason, so it will be interesting to watch the incoming players showcase their talents and contribute in the upcoming season.
The 2022 US Open Cup and USL League One regular season are just a couple of weeks away, so there’s plenty of exciting news to share. Who Gives A Hoot is your source for Union Omaha news, so keeping checking the website, along with our social media accounts, for all the latest coverage of your favorite club.
As always…¡Viva Búhos!
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