Where Are They Now? Old Orlando City Players With New Teams, Part 3

(For part 1 of this series, click here. For part 2, click here)

After looking back at the last two years for Orlando City, it’s time to move on to the second season of the Lions’ existence.

The year 2012 was another successful year for the Lions. After coming off an amazing first season, the Lions only lost one game in the regular season and clinched the regular season championship. They unfortunately lost in the first round of the playoffs to the only team to beat them in the regular season, the Wilmington Hammerheads.

Mechack Jérôme came over to Orlando with the team in 2011 and was the starting right back for the first two years. He appeared in 34 games and scored one goal and had four assists while being critical to the overlapping style that the outside backs for Orlando City play.

Just before the 2013 season, Sporting Kansas City came calling and signed Jérôme to a contract after he impressed the team in training camp. The Haitian defender appeared in 12 games for SKC and was released just one month into the 2014 season. Jérôme eventually signed with the Montreal Impact reserves team and made his first appearance against Orlando City in Orlando on June 7.

After playing only a few games with the team, he was released. Just two months ago, Jérôme was signed by the new USL team, Charlotte Independence. Since joining the team, he has started and played in five games as a center back. The Charlotte Post recently wrote an article about his impact on the team since his signing.

Rodrigo Lopez joined the team midway through the 2012 season and played sparingly, only appearing in eight games and scoring one goal via penalty. He went on to play the 2013 season with the LA Blues, another USL team, making 23 appearances and scoring only two goals. Then in 2014, he was the inaugural signing of the Sacramento Republic, where he has been their star player. In 40 games over the past year and a half, Lopez has scored 19 goals, including this beauty.

Wes Allen was another player that came over from the Austin Aztex after coming up through the system in Texas. After making 15 appearances for the U-23 team in 2008, he made 21 appearances over the next two years for the first team. After making the transition to Orlando, Allen made 14 appearances for the Lions and scored three goals in two years. After being let go following the 2012 season, he did not sign for another club and has since retired from professional soccer.

Kyle Davies was a budding star in his early days as a professional player. Signing with English side Southampton in 2007, then moving around MLS with Real Salt Lake in 2009, FC Dallas in 2010-11, and the LA Galaxy and Toronto FC in 2011, there were many chances for the defender, but none of them stuck. Davies was waived by Toronto in November of 2011 and signed with Orlando City in April of 2012. He went on to make 16 appearances for the Lions, but after the season he was not re-signed and has not been heard from on the professional soccer market since.

Charlie Campbell was a recent MLS SuperDraft draftee, having been picked in the second round, 35th overall, by FC Dallas. Although he went through all of preseason with the team, he was not offered a contract. In stepped Orlando City, which signed him for their inaugural 2011 season. He went on to make 13 appearances, including the 2011 championship game. He then followed up his rookie campaign with a solid sophomore season. Campbell made 20 appearances in 2012 and notched a goal and five assists, and he was awarded Clubman of the Year by manager Adrian Heath.

The following year, Campbell took his talents over to Sweden, signing a seven-month deal with Liungskile SK. Unfortunately for Campbell, he tore his ACL while playing with the team and was forced to retire due to its severity. These days, Campbell is the assistant coach for the University of Louisville's men's soccer program.

The signing of John Rooney to Orlando City created a buzz around the club. The brother of famous English star Wayne, the bar was set quite high for John. Unfortunately, Rooney was never able to reach that bar. Only making nine appearances for the club and scoring two goals, both in one game, Rooney eventually fell out of favor with the team and was released after the 2012 season.

Following his time with Orlando, Rooney went back to England and signed for English Championship side Barnsley F.C., where he never made an appearance. He then was signed by League Two side Bury F.C, where he made all of three appearances for the club. During his time with Bury, Rooney was loaned out to Chester F.C., a fifth division side in England. After being released by Bury in 2014, he signed a contract with Chester and has made 67 appearances for the club, scoring 15 goals in two years.

Max Griffin was another Aztex holdover from 2010. He came into the inaugural 2011 season with 29 appearances and 10 goals for the Aztex under his belt and was able to continue his form with Orlando. In 2011, Griffin made 22 appearances and scored nine times, leading the way for the Lions.

In 2012, the forward only made eight appearances before he was loaned out to MLS side San Jose Earthquakes. After making four appearances, Griffin was loaned out to the LA Blues, where he made nine appearances and scored four goals. After the 2012 season, Griffin headed up to NASL’s Minnesota United for the 2013 season, where he made 14 appearances and scored once.

In April of 2014, Griffin announced his retirement from professional soccer on his Facebook page and said that he would be starting work at Adidas HQ in Portland. However, he was recently spotted playing for the U.S. Beach Soccer National Team against the Bahamas back in May.

Finally, we come to another fan favorite of the Lions faithful, Matt Luzunaris. A local Florida kid, Luzunaris joined Orlando originally on loan in 2011 from San Jose, where he played in two games and scored twice. After being released by the Earthquakes, Luzunaris signed with Orlando for the 2012 season. Appearing in 18 matches, the forward scored nine times and was the team's second leading goal scorer for 2012 and the league's No. 3 goal scorer.

After the season, he was sent on loan to the NASL's Carolina Railhawks, where he made only two appearances. He was not re-signed by Orlando following his loan and transitioned to the Rochester Rhinos for the 2013 season.

However, only a few months into the season, Luzunaris suffered a horrific broken leg that sidelined him for over a year. He made a few more appearances after coming back 13 months later, but was never able to come back to full strength. He retired from professional soccer in January of this year and, according to his statement, he has gone back to school to finish his college degree. #ForeverALion