Jack Thorpe is looking forward to seeing his charges play for Cascadia
Team Cascadia – the House that Jack Built
by Steve Clare
March 15 was set to be just another ordinary day for Jack Thorpe, a scout for West Midlands club Wolverhampton Wanderers. The team was riding high at the top of the English championship and as the future turned out, bound for the Premier League.
That was probably excitement enough for Thorpe who scouts at the youth level well below the glory and the glamour of the EPL. But a casual email that morning changed his season. Paul Watson is the ConIFA tournament organiser, and Thorpe was loosely and informally helping some of the other teams find players.
“I had known Paul Watson for a number of years. I’d already found a local London player for Panjab and one for Barawa. Watson told me Cascadia didn’t have any players, or even a coach at that point. James Nichols wasn’t quite on board yet.”
Twelve days later, Thorpe was in charge of building the Cascadian squad. On April 6, he had his first conversation with coach Nichols.
“I spoke to James a long time and he came across really really well. He sold it to me, and Aaron Johnsen at the Cascadian FA was 100% behind us both,” Thorpe added.”We had a long conversation and we pretty much agreed on everything,”
Thorpe who isn’t getting paid for his work for the CAFF and knows the lower leagues of English football very well. He has scouted for both the academy side and first team of Barnet FC, mostly for players at non-league level. He has also performed the occasional opposition scouting report.
Thorpe is modest when talking about himself but his face lit up when the subject moves to the players he has recruited for Cascadia.
Corinthian Casuals is a unique club in England. Staunchly amateur, they were seen in England as one of the guardians of the spirit of the game. Real Madrid, and some say the English National Team, play in white shirts and navy shorts partly in tribute to the Corinthians.
Max Oldham celebrates a goal against Hertford Town
Photo: Stuart Tree/Corinthian Casuals
Max Oldham, the first player Thorpe put on his list came from that route,
“He’s having a fantastic season for Corinthian Casuals and it looks reasonable to assume a big transfer is coming his way to the Conference or above. He’s versatile, two footed and can play wide or in the middle. He’s pacy and has a bucket of goals and assists this season.”
Oldham is on the brink of a promotion when his club plays Walton Casuals in a play-off final this Saturday to move into the Isthmian Premier.
Other players that caught Thorpe’s eye when asked about the squad’s experience. Patrick Wilson is coaching the Academy team at AFC Bournemouth. Midfielder Anthony Wright also excites Thorpe as he had a pro contract at Nottingham Forest last year. Calum Ferguson is one of the others who isn’t a non-league player, performing for Scottish Division Two for Elgin City and has played for Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the SPFL.
Lorne Jenkins may bring pace to the team as although football was his first love but he excelled at track and field..
“It started as a blank slate, as me staring at a blank excel sheet. But I have to say I’m really excited about seeing the group come together, both the ones I recruited and the ones flying over from North America such as James Riley. I feel that we’ve built a unique squad spirit already even though many of us have never met. It’s been a unique experience.”
Cascadia will open their campaign against the Isle of Man on May 31 at Sutton United’s Gander Green Lane.
More Team Cascadia stories:
Meet Cascadia’s Opponents: Ellan Vannin (Isle of Man)
Meet the 23 men who will fly the flag for Cascadia in London
James Riley to captain Cascadia
CAPTAIN CASCADIA – Sounders James Riley in advanced talks with CAFF
Meet Cascadia’s hosts: Sutton United; a hard ground to enter, an easy club to like
Ex Man United starlet to play for Cascadia
Meet Cascadia’s Hosts: Fisher FC the fan owned club that wouldn’t die
ConIFA make shock bid for Kenny Miller
Cascadia announces first player for ConIFA World Cup
EXCLUSIVE: Cascadia appoints ConIFA World Cup coaches
Cascadian team prepares for first CONIFA World Cup
TEAM CASCADIA PROVISIONAL SQUAD
| Position | Name | Age | Caps | Goals |
| Midfielder | Max Oldham | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Nikko Stokes | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Defender | Patrick Wilson | 31 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Jordan Wilson | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Tayshan Hayden-Smith | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Attacker | Calum Ferguson | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Anthony Wright | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Josh Doughty | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Charlie Gregory | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| Attacker | Yuri Farkas | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Defender | Joey Censoni | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Defender | Matt Braem | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward | Keaton Levock | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Hector Morales | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| Defender | Julius Lansiquot | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Brian Simpson | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Defender | Lorne Jenkins | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Defender | Ellis Routledge | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward | Hamza Haddadi | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Defender | Sofien El Mehrik | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| Defender | James Riley | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| Goalkeeper | Alejandro De La Torre | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Goalkeeper | Will Marment | 19 | 0 | 0 |
