A towering presence will remain in the middle of the pitch for the Cavalry.
Defensive midfielder Charlie Trafford was re-signed by Cavalry FC for two years with an additional one-year option, the Canadian Premier League club announced this week.
“Charlie is a valuable presence to us on and off the pitch,” said Cavalry FC head coach and GM Tommy Wheeldon Jr., in a team release. “He is very good at starting our attacks from within our half and very important in the manner he breaks up the opponents attacks with his physicality and intelligence.
“On top of that, he is a person that cares about the city he is from, and it shows in the way he plays for our crest and his daily habits with the group as an emotional leader.”
Trafford, 31, has been a fixture in the middle of the pitch since joining the Cavalry in the 2022 campaign.
The Calgarian was among team leaders with 66 per cent duels won and with an 89 per cent passes completed rate.
Central midfield looks to be a position of strength for the Cavalry with Trafford, Jesse Daley, Shamit Shome and Eryk Kobza returning along with the addition of former Valour FC captain Diego Gutiérrez.
Last week, the Cavalry announced the signing of Tobias Warschewski, a former standout with FC Edmonton where he posted 11 goals and 14 assists over 49 appearances in 2021-22.
“I’m very excited to be returning to Canada and playing with Cavalry FC,” said Warschewski in a release. “I enjoyed my previous time in the CPL and knew I wanted to return as soon as the opportunity came. Cavalry is very successful, and I can’t wait to join the squad and contribute to this club.”
The German forward will give Cavalry more versatility in its attack, added Wheeldon Jr., with the 25-year-old able to operate centrally, wide or into the No. 10 role.
Schedule released
A rematch of last year’s playoff final will kick off the Canadian Premier League’s 2024 season.
The CPL released its schedule for its sixth regular season with Cavalry FC opening the slate on April 13 against Forge FC at Tim Hortons Field, the site of the Hamilton side’s CPL playoff championship over Cavalry last fall. Cavalry’s third game of the season will be its debut at Spruce Meadows’ ATCO Field on April 28.
The playoff structure will remain the same for the 2024 campaign with the top five teams qualifying for the CPL playoffs.
Prior to CPL action kicking off, the Cavalry make the maiden voyage into the Concacaf Champions Cup with its two-leg fixture against the MLS’ Orlando SC.
The first leg is Feb. 21 at Starlight Stadium on Vancouver Island, the home of Pacific FC, with the second game Feb. 28 in Florida.
For more information, go to cavsfc.com.
