30-04-2025
Mark Briggs named head coach of Birmingham Legion FC
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Birmingham Legion FC has found a new head coach.
Mark Briggs was named Legion FC's head coach Wednesday. He replaces Tom Soehn, who was fired April 9. Briggs is only the second coach in the club's history.
Briggs' coaching debut with the Legion will be Saturday, when the team faces the Tampa Bay Rowdies. From there, the team will come back home for a match against Rhode Island FC on May 14.
'I'm so grateful to Legion FC for giving me this opportunity,' Briggs said in a statement. ''In meeting with staff and ownership, I love the direction and I love the vision. It's a fantastic club that has top facilities. And then you look at the roster and you understand that there is a lot that can be achieved here. I look forward to building something here in Birmingham.'
Briggs, who grew up outside Birmingham, England, was the head coach of Sacaramento Republic FC from 2019-24, where he took the club to the USL Championship playoffs four times and reached the Western Conference Final in 2023. In 2022, Republic FC qualified for the final of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
In 170 games with Sacramento, Briggs' had a record of 74-49-47. Following the 2024 season, Briggs and the club mutually agreed to part ways. Before leading Republic FC, Briggs was the head coach of Real Monarchs from 2017-18, where he was named USL Coach of the Year during his first year with the team.
'We are thrilled to welcome Mark as the next head coach of Birmingham Legion FC,' Birmingham Legion FC CEO and Chief Soccer Officer Jay Heaps said in a statement. 'He is a proven winner with extensive USL experience and is known for building strong team culture, developing players and driving success on the pitch. We are excited about the future of Legion FC under Mark's direction.'
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Since firing Soehn, Legion FC has gone 2-0-1, winning contests at Protective Stadium against El Paso Locomotive FC and Chattanooga Red Wolves FC. Eric Avila, who was serving as Birmingham interim head coach, is reassuming the first team assistant coach role.
'We want to create a culture where everybody who works for this football club plays an important role in our success,' Briggs said. 'It's about treating people the right way and making people feel special in what they do, then it's about implementing a vision that can be bought into.'I think coaching is the best job in the world and I'm grateful that this club believes in me. I want to repay that belief by creating a culture and getting results. We want to win games, so the importance to the details that allow you to win games have to be understood and valued.'
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