Who is Tommy Wilson, and why is the Scotsman so important?
The heart of the Union Academy departs for Charlotte F.C. as their new Technical Director
It is no secret that the Union has been one of the best in class when it comes to developing young talent that, too often, doesn't stay at Subaru Park.
The question is, who is the man behind the Aaronson brothers, Mark Mckenzie, and any Homegrown talent after 2013?
Let me (quickly) introduce you to Tommy Wilson, who is soon departing for Charlotte F.C. as their new Technical Director.
Tommy was a professional player who played over 300 matches across the Scottish Premier League, including stints with Queen’s Park F.C., Dunfermline F.C., Hearts of Midlothian F.C., Kilmarnock F.C., and most notably St. Mirren F.C. due to winning the Scottish Cup.
Before Philadelphia, Tommy spent over 12 years in the Scottish Football Association, in positions ranging from Development Officer, Head of Education, and most notably as the National Coach of Scotland.
Once joining Philadelphia, he was able to implement all of his previous experience into a brand new project and within several years earned his promotion to Director of Academy and Professional Development.
So, how did we get here, with the heart of this talent-producing machine leaving for the Carolinas?
On January 10th, a few sources reached out, letting me know about a larger personnel move developing. Fast forward to the 12th, where I posted the following, breaking the news of Tommy’s departure, but without a firm location to report on.
With the news out, a few more sources were willing to connect and share that his move is a large jump in terms of title and responsibility, with him joining the three-year-old outfit as their new technical director, shifting Bobby Belair to a new role. Interestingly enough, Belair had just gotten promoted to technical director in April of 2022.
Trying to find some additional confirmation, a few days later, the folks at the CLTFC Show allowed me to ask Charlotte F.C. President, Joe Labue about the reporting I had shared the week prior. His response was pretty telling that something was imminent.
Finally, confirmation arrived today. Charlotte F.C. announces the shift, with Tommy Wilson joining the Tar Heel State and being part of the machine that is Tepper Sports & Entertainment.
So now what? What will happen with the academy leadership?
That remains somewhat unclear, though sources tell me that Jon Scheer, the current Director of Scouting at the Union, is taking on the interim role. Jon has been part of the Union organization for nearly six years. Before joining Philadelphia, Jon was part of the University of Delaware Men’s Soccer staff as well as a scout for US Soccer.
For now, Union faithful can be thankful for all the work that Tommy did to create a factory of Homegrown talent and professional athletes, never mind working adults into society.
Best of luck, Tommy.