Monday, April 21

CHARLESTON, WV – As the West Virginia Chaos PDL soccer team continues to improve their stock within the Charleston community, first year Head Coach Luke Ibbetson announced the clubs largest player signings in their six-year history. Pending USL/PDL approval Nick Beasant and Adam Mitchell will join the club in late April, leaving behind solid football careers in Europe when they will travel from England to Charleston, West Virginia.

“Signing Adam (Mitchell) and Nick (Beasant) has certainly strengthened our squad,” said Ibbetson. “Their contributions this season will be very important to our success as a club. We must ensure that we have all the tools necessary in order to compete in the divisional and conference races. Nick (Beasant) and Adam (Mitchell) are two great additions.”

Beasant a 6’3” central defender from London, England joins the Chaos with an already full and successful career in England and the USA. After nine years in famed English Premier League side Chelsea’s academy that began at age seven, Beasant moved on to play with the Wycombe Wanderers FC, Brentford FC and Barnet FC while finding time to also train with English Premier League Fulham FC’s reserve squad. Beasant accomplished all this before turning 20.

At twenty years old Beasant made his first move to the United States and the Premier Development League in 2006, where he played in seven matches with the New Orleans Shell Shockers. Following a successful season with the Shell Shockers, Beasant earned a trial with the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer. While not signed by the New England Revolution, Beasant did join the Wilmington Hammerheads of the USL Second Division in 2007. After joining the professional side, he made 13 appearances.

During that time Beasant crossed paths with current head Chaos Coach Luke Ibbetson, who played forward for the Hammerheads. When reached by phone in England, Beasant was excited about the move back to the US.

“Once Luke (Ibbetson) explained his plans for the Chaos, he had me convinced I wanted to join the club,” Beasant said. “I want to help push for success with the Chaos, and with Luke (Ibbetson) as manager and Jack (Thompson) as assistant, the club has great leadership and the players coming in will be very good this season, providing a great squad for Charleston and the Chaos supporters.”

The second major acquisition, Mitchell is a 27-year old 6’2” keeper from York, England. He joins the Chaos with a more than an adequate resume. Mitchell will serve as the club’s Goalkeeper Coach while he plays between the pipes for the PDL team. His performance in net will demonstrate, in person, the technique of a professional keeper.

Mitchell’s career began at age 11 with York City FC, where he represented the club at school boy level for five years. At age 16, Mitchell signed a three-year contract with Halifax Town. In his three years stint with the club, Halifax gained promotion to League Two of the English Football League – a tremendous achievement for the club.

Following the promotion, Halifax’s new manager did not renew Mitchell’s contract. Disappointed, Mitchell decided to leave his dream of professional soccer and become a part time semi-professional and work a day job at the same time.

His new club, Pickering Town, won promotion two seasons in a row while he won the Supporters Player of the Year as a semi-professional before moving to Goole Town in the Unibond Division before making his first stop with Selby Town FC. There he won both of the league’s Player of the Year awards and at the end of the ‘06/’07 season, received a call from FK Mjolner in the Norwegian Division II offering him a professional contract.

Mitchell was pleased to join the professional side before opting to return to Selby Town later that season.

“The fantastic offer then came from the West Virginia Chaos,” stated Mitchell when reached by phone in England regarding his next career move. “I have known Luke (Ibbetson) a long time from playing football in England. He spoke to me and what he expects to achieve with the club. I know Luke to be very professional in the things he does and he sold the club and the new direction to me. I am really looking forward to getting things started over there, as I think it will be a very successful and enjoyable season for the Chaos, their supporters and the city of Charleston.”

Chaotics and soccer fans alike will have their first chance to see these and the other new Chaos faces on Sunday May 11th when the team faces off against Ashland Park FC, a men’s team from Ashland, Kentucky who play in the "A" Division of Southern West Virginia Adult Soccer League (SWVASL). The match will be played at Schoenbaum Stadium with an 8:00pm kickoff. Admission for the exhibition will be a reduced price of $2. The West Virginia Chaos open their 2008 USL Premier Development League season on the road against the Kalamazoo Outrage.