United Soccer League (USL) club Rochester Rhinos have announced that Leicester City star Jamie Vardy has become a co-owner.

The New York-based outfit have not played since 2017 after establishing themselves as a fixture in the American lower divisions. 

With Vardy now on board, the Rhinos will look to return to the field in the near future.

What was said?

“It’s going to be a lot different to what I’ve been used to for the last 10 years, but I’m looking forward to getting stuck into it,” Vardy told The Athletic. “I think it kind of resonates with me because of what they’ve achieved in the past — the only lower-league club to win the U.S. Open Cup, the only team to have ever done it who’s outside MLS.

“It’s all about bringing that back and trying to replicate it — but we also want to bring it back even better than it was before.”

Rhinos co-owners David and Wendy Dworkin added on the club’s Twitter account: “This is a huge coup for Rochester and the Rhinos. Jamie is known throughout the soccer world and we are delighted that he has chosen to join us as a co-owner. Hopefully this fantastic news will give everyone connected with the club the belief that there are good times ahead.”

The Rochester Rhinos are delighted to announce that Premier League star @vardy7 has become a co-owner of the club.#Rochester pic.twitter.com/iJsq6SHtw2

— Rochester Rhinos (@RochesterRhinos) June 15, 2021

Who are the Rhinos?

The Rhinos became one of the most well-known names in the American lower leagues after their establishment in 1996, regularly drawing crowds that were larger than some of their MLS counterparts.

Perhaps the pinnacle of Rhinos history came in 1999, when they became the first – and still only – non-MLS team to win the U.S. Open Cup.

The club competed in the now-defunct A-League before then joining USL Pro. In 2017 the Rhinos went on hiatus but are now eyeing a return to the field in 2022.

Further reading