Phoenix Rising releases Junior Flemmings
Published:Friday | November 13, 2020 | 1:02 PMRachid Parchment/Assistant Sports Editor -
National striker Junior Flemmings has not been re-signed by United Soccer League (USL) club Phoenix Rising in the United States.
In what many would probably consider the best season of his career, Flemmings scored 14 goals for Rising, and won the league's Golden Boot award.
But with his contract set to expire this month, Flemmings' status at the club was the subject of speculation after being fined and suspended by USL for allegedly saying a Jamaican homophobic slur to an openly gay opponent during a game against San Diego Loyal in September. He denied the allegation but was also placed on administrative leave by Rising during the investigation and then made to do sensitivity training.
Phoenix released a statement on Friday afternoon naming eight players who have received contract extensions and Flemmings' name was not on that list.
Lambert re-signs
Kevon Lambert, Flemmings teammate for both club and country, will however rejoin Rising for a fourth season.
The defensive midfielder signed with Phoenix from Montego Bay United as a 19-year-old in August 2017, and is the longest serving member of the squad. Lambert has now appeared 87 times and scored nine goals for Rising. The Jamaican’s latest goal was the first of two that erased a 2-0 deficit in the Western Conference semifinal versus Reno 1868 on October 17. He will turn 24 in March and has been capped nine times by Jamaica.
More on this story as it develops.