Team Solent duo Sam Byles and Jim Orvis join USA side FC Buffalo

America is calling for the Team Solent duo who had no sooner completed their final exams at Southampton Solent University last week than they were jetting off to play for FC Buffalo on the other side of the Atlantic.

The link-up between the two clubs was forged when former Sholing goalkeeper Matt Brown, now living in the States, put Buffalo in touch with Team Solent boss James Taylor.

The American outfit, based in Buffalo, New York, had originally hoped to invite three or four Solent players over for their three-month season, starting in May, but their budget would only stretch to two.

FC Buffalo owner Nick Mendola explained: “I met former Sholing goalkeeper Matt Brown in the Fall, as Matt is a friend of my boss (ex-Salisbury City and Eastleigh player) Joe Prince-Wright from NBC Soccer.

“I asked Matt if he knew any clubs that would be on the level of ours, where players would appreciate the chance to play in the US.

“He put us in touch with James Taylor and I sent them some film of our matches to make sure it wasn’t too below or above their level.

“We wanted to try as many as three or four Team Solent players, but we are still a growing club and only have so much money to house players and get them to training.

“We’re not about to ask players to pay something exorbitant to come here and compete for time!”

Byles and Orvis, both members of Team Solent’s Sydenhams League Cup/Southampton Senior Cup double-winning side, can expect bigger crowds and substantially greater travel time with their new club.

Buffalo, now in their seventh season, average gates of around 1,500 at their Robert E. Rich All-High Stadium, which appeared as Wrigley Field in the Robert Redford film The Natural.

It has artificial turf, with American football lines, and the covered stand helps generate one of the best atmospheres in the league.

“The NPSL is the fourth-tier of American soccer, the highest level before players are fully professional,” Mendola explained.

“Many of our players move on to play for professional sides and we have once played an English side at our stadium.

“One of our biggest sponsors also sponsors a team in the Northern Football League, the Bedlington Terriers, and flew them over for a higher-profile friendly in 2011.”

Travel-wise, this season's jaunts to Hamworthy, Whitchurch or Newport IoW will seem like small fry to Byles and Orvis. In fact the eight-hour drive from Buffalo to Indianapolis would make many a professional player flinch!

“It’s funny because travel in our conference would probably be considered significant in England,” Mendola explained.

“We play Indianapolis (about an eight-hour drive), Detroit (five hours), Cleveland (2.5 hours), Erie (1.5 hours) and Rochester (1 hour) in the regular season, but that’s par for the course for such a broad nation where the major cities are so spaced out.

“All but one year we have contended for honours in our league and we expect to be as good as ever this season.

“The league runs from May through July with the national championship game in August.

“Many weeks we play one match, though because of the travel distances, we occasionally have to play Friday/Sunday of the same weekend, which is why we carry bigger roster sizes.”

Welcoming the link-up with Buffalo, Team Solent boss Taylor said: “If it works out, it’s something we would like to do every year.

“We’ve had lads go over to the States before to coach at summer camps, but Sam and Jim will actually be playing for three months with Buffalo.”

*SAM Byles made a big impact during his three years playing for Team Solent – and small wonder.

The classy midfielder spent over a decade learning his trade at Arsenal and still counts England’s Jack Wilshere as one of his best friends.

Byles, recently named man-of-the-match in Team Solent’s 1-0 Sydenhams League Cup final win over Newport IoW, said: “I was with Arsenal from the age of seven to 18 and trained with the first team a number of times.

“Unfortunately I didn’t get a pro contract and I played some non-League with Thurrock in the Conference South and then dropped into the Ryman League with Cheshunt.”

By that stage Byles was contemplating giving up football, but a conversation with the PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) led him down a different path.

They advised combining football with a second career and, three years on, the 24-year-old from Enfield, North London, has just finished a degree in sports psychology at Southampton Solent University.

“I was really excited to be starting another career and still playing football at a good level,” said Byles.

“The first year was tough for Team Solent because we didn’t have the greatest team, but to come from there and win back-to-back trophies is fantastic. Hopefully they’ll keep pushing on.”

After spending this summer playing for FC Buffalo in America, Byles is hoping to use his football contacts to launch a new career as an agent.

“I grew up with Jack Wilshere and we’re still friends. Jack’s dad is an agent,” he said.

“Hopefully that will work out. If not, I want to do the London Marathon next year and I’ll have to give up football for a few months while I train.

“I’ve enjoyed my time in Southampton and made some good friends here and playing for Buffalo should be a great experience.

“I’ve been coaching kids in America for the last two years and this time I’m actually playing.

“Hopefully I can be a good addition to the team and a key player.”

*JIM Orvis “can’t wait” to sample football States-side after a double-winning season with Team Solent.

Together with midfielder Sam Byles, the energetic winger is spending the next three months in America playing for FC Buffalo in the National Premier Soccer League.

Like Byles, Orvis has had summer coaching experience in the United States and is itching to return.

“I went to the West Coast last summer and coached for three months, I’m so excited to be going back as a player,” he said.

During the first year of his sports studies degree at Southampton Solent University, 22-year-old Orvis was in and out of the Team Solent team.

But he became more of a regular as time went on and played 40 games this term, helping the side to Sydenhams League Cup and Southampton Senior Cup glory – along with a fine seventh-placed finish in their debut Wessex Premier campaign.

Orvis, who was with the Cambridge United academy as a child and went on to play for Soham Town Rangers, said: “I’ve loved this season with Team Solent. We didn’t know what to expect from the league and, really, we’ve overachieved, winning two cups and finishing top-ten.

“From my first year down here to where we are now is a huge difference.”

Like Byles, Orvis’s time at Southampton Solent University has drawn to a close, but he is thrilled that the link with Buffalo has thrown up such an exciting summer opportunity..

“Sam and I aren’t going over there to mess around," he stressed. "Buffalo seem very organised. They train twice a week and, potentially, there could be two games some weeks – and there are some long road trips.

“They’re not allowed to pay us, but they’ll help us out with our accommodation and some little coaching jobs.

“I can’t wait!”