Union officially unveil Bethlehem Steel FC

Updated Wednesday, October 28: I noted this as a rumored possibility in the original version of this post, and now it's official: the Union have appointed Brendan Burke as Bethlehm Steel's head coach. Burke served as the head coach of Reading United, the Union's PDL affiliate, from 2008 to 2013, and from 2011 to 2013 was also an assistant coach at PPL Park.

When the famous Bethlehem Steel moniker was first included in the fan poll to decide the name of the Union's new minor-league USL affiliate, it immediately became the odds-on favorite. The Union's front office was ready, having already done all the necessary work to secure the trademarks involved.

So it came as no surprise when the name was officially unveiled as the winner on Tuesday morning at Bethlehem's SteelStacks entertainment complex. Bethlehem Steel FC won the fan vote in a landslide.

Now one of the most celebrated names in American soccer history has been brought back to life, and the Union intend to use it as a teaching tool for a new generation of fans.

"We are thrilled by the strong fan interest in determining the name of our new USL team," Union chairman Jay Sugarman said in a statement issued by the team. "We continue to believe in the deep history of this sport in our region and this is a tremendous way to pay homage to the past, while also reflecting the important role of the club in the Union family."

Union executive vice president Dave Rowan, in charge of the team's business operations since former CEO Nick Sakiewicz's departure, added that the team believes "the logo, colors and name respectfully pay tribute to the original Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club, while also reflecting the modern influences that the Union provide."

The new Bethlehem Steel will begin playing next year at Lehigh University's 14,000-seat Goodman Stadium. The Steel will serve as a vital bridge between the Union's big investment in its Wayne, Pa.,-based youth academy and the senior team at PPL Park.

It will be a little while before the roster is fleshed out. When the time comes, don't be surprised if some of the Union's top academy prospects from the last year or two are on the field.

This is just my speculation, but here are a few names to keep an eye on: forwards Will Campbell (currently at Georgetown), Sebastian Elney (Maryland), Darius Madison (Maryland-Baltimore County) and Yosef Samuel; midfielders Derrick Jones (Rhode Island) and Sean Wilson (North Carolina); and defender Keegan Rosenberry (Georgetown).

Down the road, we'll almost surely see U.S. under-17 national team defender Auston Trusty and highly regarded Union under-18 team goalkeeper Andrew Verdi. They might be a year away, but the USL squad is exactly the kind of place where they can get professional-caliber experience at an earlier age than the club has ever been able to offer.