Lights ... camera ... Hollywood United

Celebrity-based soccer club brings 'can't-lose' attitude into U.S. Open Cup match with Timbers

By Steve Brandon

The Portland Tribune, Jun 9, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

ROBERT MORA / GETTY IMAGES

David Beckham of the Los Angeles Galaxy and Hollywood United President Anthony LaPaglia greet each other after a celebrity soccer match between the two teams in November at Home Depot Center Hollywood United will play the Portland Timbers on Thursday in the first round of the annual U.S. Open Cup tournament.

One team clearly has less to lose in Tuesday night’s U.S. Open Cup soccer match at PGE Park – and it’s not Hollywood United.

“We’re not expected to win, so there’s no pressure on us – we’re leaving all that to the big-league boys,” says Ian Carrington, general manager of Hollywood United, an amateur team from Los Angeles that will face the Portland Timbers at 7 p.m.

The U.S. Open Cup is for amateur and professional teams from all levels. Forty teams qualified for this year’s tournament.

Hollywood United is no ordinary amateur team. It’s a burgeoning, celebrity-based club that was founded in the late 1980s by Australian actor/former pro goalie Anthony LaPaglia (“Without a Trace”). It began with numerous soccer-loving player/celebs, including Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, Billy Duffy and Ian Astbury of The Cult and Vivian Campbell of Def Leppard. Actors, singers, film directors began joining with soccer players such as Vinnie Jones, Eric Wynalda and Alexi Lalas on an over-30. The club now draws experienced players from Southern California and beyond, including former Timbers Matt Taylor and Alex Bengard, who will lead HU into PGE Park.

Hollywood United has age-group teams for older players, and a women’s division. Everyone gets together for practices and games.

“It’s just a club where people can come out and have fun, always has been,” Carrington says. “We get all the best players who are not playing professional football for whatever reason, and players who don’t want to play in the (Timbers’ league) because of the money.” The lack of money, i.e., high player salaries, that is.

“It’s not their living,” Carrington says of the HU players, “but it is their passion. So that’s the fun side.”

Hollywood United earned its shot against the Timbers by winning two qualifying matches. Taylor scored one goal in both of the 2-0 victories, over the Santa Cruz County Breakers and San Diego United.

“We brought the First Team together in September and have won four trophies. It’s getting better and better,” Carrington says. “The roster has been pretty steady over the past six months or so. The odd one or two player comes to join us.

“Watch the roster, there could be a couple of shocks,” Carrington says, chuckling, “I have a connection with Chelsea … you never know.”

Carrington, a former player in England, has been in L.A. for 18 years. He has become known as Hollywood’s top advisor on soccer movies. “Nike just hired me to do a commercial,” he says. “They need me to get the location and the players and choreograph the moves for it. It’s a tough life.”

In his spare time, he runs just about everything Hollywood United-related.

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