A new striker & a new partnership
You want an announcement? You want TWO announcements?!
Announcement 1: A new young striker
Adrien Graffin does not have a Wikipedia page.
He’s 21. He’s 6’3". He’s from the Chicago suburbs. He played for Chicago Nation in UPSL and a number of other amateur clubs before going pro in 2023. He spent the better part of two seasons in the top flights of Andora and North Macedonia before landing at Amazonas in Brazil’s second division last August. And now, he’s a Mingo.
He hasn’t logged a lot of professional minutes, but did help Tikves Kavadarci win the Macedonian Cup last year.
He joins Forward Madison on loan from Amazonas at least in part because of …
Announcement 2: A new partnership
The club also announced today that it has entered a partnership with Amazonas, a second-division club based in Manaus, a city of about two million people in central Brazil. It started play in 2019 (the same year as the Mingos) and have been promoted all the way from non-league in 2021 to Série B in 2023.
According to the press release from FMFC:
The partnership will consist primarily of sharing information on methods and best practices on the technical side of each club’s operations. It will also kindle an impactful relationship between the clubs, aiming to enhance player development initiatives and access new markets with loan and transfer opportunities. This will also foster a connection between cultures and experiences through football as the first ever partnership between a USL League One club and a Brazilian club.
And Adrien Graffin is the first of those loan opportunities.
We are told that the partnership with German top-flight club Eintracht Frankfurt will continue, and the new partnership with Amazonas is in addition, not instead of.
Introducing: the ability to give me money
Ok, not really give me money, but support the show and newsletter through voluntary paid subscriptions.
So, here’s the deal. Our listenership has kind of plateaued, and I am certain there are lots and lots of Full Mingo weirdos who aren’t listening, and who would listen if given a nudge. So I want to spend a bit on marketing materials and handouts for game nights. And I want to do cool things, like trivia contests and fan events and merch giveaways. And all those things cost money. Not a lot, but some.
I could (and probably will, at some point) get a sponsor or two, but I figured I’d come to you first. I am a media egalitarian … I don’t intend to create “tiers” of listeners, with the cool kids getting more episodes or getting episodes earlier or anything like that. So if you subscribe for free, you’ll still get all the stuff - every newsletter, every podcast.
If you do subscribe for $5 a month or $50 a year, you’ll also get:
A shoutout or two or three on the show (and the newsletter — THANK YOU Liam, TJ & Chris, our first contributors!!)
The ability to say “Why, yes, I’m a supporter” in a condescending manner when someone asks “Do you ever listen to Talkin’ Flock?”
One extra high five in the Forward Club after a game of your choice in the 2025 season
So, think about it. Talkin’ Flock is the second-oldest USL League One podcast. This will be our fifth season! And we never would have lasted this long without all of you. This is a fan-led, fan-driven effort, and I just want to keep it going and make it cooler and bigger and better. So, if you’re so inclined, hit that “Upgrade to paid” button.
Thanks so much, Mingo Nation!