Memphis 901FC’s debut season is well underway, and has given the city an opportunity to do what we do best — rally around a Memphis sports team. The club consists of players from all over the globe with a common goal of doing what they love and making Memphis proud. We chatted with #18, Elliot Collier to learn about his experiences as a new Memphian.
In 901FC’s recent match against Hartford Athletic, Collier scored three consecutive goals leading the team to a 4-1 victory. His outstanding performance earned him the USL Championship Player of the Week award; Collier is the first player in club history to have received this award.
Home for Collier is Hamilton, New Zealand but he has lived in the U.S. since 2014 when he was recruited to play soccer for Loyola University Chicago. He finished his collegiate career as a four-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection, having scored seventeen goals for the Ramblers. Collier was a third-round pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft in which he was selected by the Chicago Fire.
901FC acquired him on loan from Chicago Fire in March of this year. Collier has been a standout from the start after scoring the first ever goal for 901FC in their match against Loudoun United. He describes the goal as “an unreal feeling…something I’ll be able to carry with me for the rest of my life.”
Collier had never been to or even heard of Memphis before joining 901FC. We asked him what his first impressions of the city were. “The community as a whole has been so welcoming and the fan support has blown my mind. It’s amazing how many people have supported us from the start.”
In their free time, Collier and the team have enjoyed checking out some local restaurants. “Cordelia’s Market in Harbortown is a favorite for the guys, we go there all the time. The people there are really friendly and the food is great. We also love Fam on Madison. It’s a great spot for after practice; really healthy, good meals.”
As far as summer plans, Collier says he is excited to explore more of the city with the team. “We’d love to get out and go to some summer events, any festivals and stuff like that. I definitely want to try all the different types of food around town.”
