Welcome to Birmingham Sports Media’s midseason review of Birmingham Legion FC.

We’ve made it past the halfway point of the season, which means it’s time to take stock of the team. So far in 2025, 28 players have featured in a Birmingham Legion matchday squad.

Over the course of the week, we’ll dive into each one’s performances to date while also looking ahead at the remainder of the season.

Today, we’ve made it to the forwards.

Previous instalments:

• Goalkeepers
• Defenders
• Midfielders

This section encapsulates both the traditional striker role as well as the players capable of playing on either wing in Mark Briggs’ 3-4-3. While Dawson McCartney could likely do a job there when back from injury, he’s already been covered in the defenders section as I expect him to line up at left wing-back upon his return.

Danny Trejo

Danny Trejo probably best epitomizes Birmingham Legion this season.

A lot was expected of him going into the year, but performances so far mean he has flattered to deceive.

That might seem harsh given he’s the team’s second highest scorer and has featured in most games. But compared to what he showed during Phoenix Rising’s title winning 2023 season, Trejo is well off the pace.

Heralded as many as the biggest signing in club history and a real statement of intent this offseason, Trejo’s poor start at the club was not all on him. The forward came off at halftime in the season opener due to a concussion and did not return until a brief 16-minute cameo four games later.

By the time he started a game again, the coach who had brought him in was no longer there.

There was a semblance of a new dawn in Eric Avila’s final game in charge, when Trejo finally opened his Legion account. He added an assist in the same game, and followed it up with another goal in Briggs’ first game at the helm.

But while the two games gave belief Legion were about to see the Phoenix-era Danny Trejo, that hope was in vain. Trejo’s only goal contribution in the next 11 games was to force a late own goal in the 4-2 loss at Louisville City. As a result, his game time has diminished, leaving the pitch earlier and earlier in games and even starting on the bench a few times.

Trejo seems to be a confidence player. When things are working, he’s almost unplayable. But when the going gets tough, he disappears. Even though his xG/90 is near-identical to Ronaldo Damus’ (0.35 and 0.39, respectively), their actual goalscoring outputs are currently miles apart (4 and 10).

Get a few more of those shots in, however, and things could be looking up for Trejo and Birmingham.

Friday’s 3-2 win at North Carolina FC showed once more a glimpse of what Danny Trejo can be, but the forward needs to ensure it’s not another false dawn. After winning USL Championship Player of the Week off of his two-goal performance, he now needs to show he can do it consistently for the Three Sparks.

If he does not, Birmingham will have a big decision to make in their quest to return to the playoffs.

Season stats: 18 appearances, 14 starts, 4 goals, 2 yellow cards.

Ronaldo Damus

In contrast to Trejo, if there is one player who has lived up to his offseason expectations, it’s Ronaldo Damus.

The Haitian notched already his 10th goal in Black and Gold on Friday, putting him just four behind his tally for last season’s USL Championship-winning Colorado Springs Switchbacks. With only 21 games needed to reach double digits, Damus currently boasts the best goals-per-minute in Birmingham Legion history.

He’s scoring at a rate of 0.476 goals per 90, ever-so-slightly faster than the Three Sparks’ all-time leading goalscorer, Neco Brett (0.470).

In Championship play, Damus is tied for 5th on the golden boot race. The only reason his performances haven’t drawn more attention are due to the likes of Abdellatif Aboukoura and Cal Jennings being utterly unplayable at times.

Damus also suffers in the public eye due to his consistency. He averages a goal every other game, and is scoring at that pace in a near literal sense.

Of his 10 goals to date, only two have come in the same match (a brace in Legion’s first win of the season, against El Paso Locomotive). The others have all been individual-goal performances, often with a goalless game in between. As a result, he rarely makes headlines or earns individual honors despite the output.

His longest drought came following the switch to the 3-4-3. When removing the fluke goal against Louisville, Damus did not find the net until seven games into the new system. However, he then proceeded to score in successive games for only the second time this season.

Damus has also contributed greatly with his relentless high pressing. The striker is always willing to act as the team’s first defender, and it paid off big time for his goal last Friday against North Carolina.

The main criticism that can be levied against the Haitian (other than his unfortunate penalty miss in the Indy Eleven shootout and a habit of going down far too easily when challenged in the box) is that he sometimes tries too much. As is more often seen with younger players who are clearly more advanced than their teammates, Damus sometimes acts as if he needs to do everything himself. This leads him drop too deep or move to positions that aren’t his in an attempt to get involved.

As a striker, he is reliant on service from his midfield. When he doesn’t get it, he will drop deeper or drift wider to try and add to his average of 21.48 touches per game.

The downsides are twofold.

First off, Damus is at his best when running in behind, finding space between defenders and creating chaos with his clever movement in the final third. Though valiant in his efforts, he is not as well suited to carrying the ball in deeper areas or trying to instigate build-up himself.

Second, whenever Damus does drift out of position, it leaves a massive hole where the striker should be. When he sends in a cross, there is often nobody there to receive if, unless the opposite winger has managed a run into the box.

Damus’ main skill is his finishing ability (he’s currently over-performing his expected goals by 2.55 goals), but when he’s not there to finish, the team suffers from it. Until the other forwards start picking up the goal scoring slack, Damus needs to be in those positions to convert chances if Birmingham want to win games.

Season stats: 21 appearances, 20 starts, 10 goals, 1 assist, 4 yellow cards.

Preston Tabort Etaka

Already in his third season with Birmingham Legion, Preston Tabort Etaka has yet to fully establish himself at the club.

After beginning the season as a starter in Tyler Pasher’s absence, he soon reverted to coming off the bench following the Canadian’s return from injury. With his electric pace and running ability, there is little doubt he has been a useful impact sub and rotation option, but he never really seems likely to challenge for a regular starting spot.

His attacking numbers are fine, if not good. He’s perfectly on pace with his expected goals, scoring twice from 2.03 xG, and nobody takes more shots (2.60) or shots on target (1.30) per 90 than the Cameroonian. That 50% accuracy is actually the best of any player on the team with more than just a couple of attempts.

His passing, however, could use some work, with 10.85 completed passes per 90. His 67.15 success rate ranks him as the lowest amongst outfielders. Some of that comes down to his crossing numbers, sending 3.07 balls into the box per 90 (second on the team), but only finding a teammate with one every other game (0.59/90).

One less noticed attribute where Tabort Etaka has been remarkably efficient this season is his contribution to the high press. The Cameroonian is in the top five for duels won per 90 minutes not because he has a good success rate in them (at 40.16%, he definitely does not) but because of the sheer numbers he puts up.

As a result, he’s one of the Three Sparks’ most efficient players in terms of regaining possession, doing so just over five times per game on average (only Edwin Laszo can claim better). He also boasts an impressive 88.88% tackle success rate, winning just under one per 90 minutes.

His willingness to press high can also lead to overeagerness at times, however, as he is also culpable for one of the highest number of fouls per 90 (1.77) on the team.

Overall, Tabort Etaka is continuing exactly what he’s shown for Birmingham Legion up to now. He’s a useful USL Championship caliber player, but not one who’s going to singlehandedly win games. If he is happy to maintain his understudy/impact sub role, he will continue to be a valuable tool in the Three Sparks’ arsenal.

But if he ever wants to be more than that, he will likely need to show drastic improvements or find that opportunity elsewhere.

Season stats: 21 appearances, 8 starts, 2 goals, 1 assist, 3 yellow cards.

Tyler Pasher

Tyler Pasher’s start to the season was delayed through injury, but it has not impacted his performances since his return.

Most commonly known as a right winger, Pasher found a new role early in the season when Eric Avila moved him to central midfield. With his eye for a pass and positional intelligence, the Canadian shone as the forward-most central midfielder in the 4-1-4-1’s three-man midfield.

Since the switch to the 3-4-3, he’s resumed a near-permanent residence on the right wing. With the emphasis on wing-back overloads, the switch has given him the license to roam inside and exploit the half spaces.

Despite turning 31 last April, Pasher remains one of the most dangerous wingers in the league. His pass success rate stands at 84.78%, the highest of any forward. That includes 14.01 passes in the final third per game (second on the team behind KHF), while still maintaining a 72.86% accuracy on those attempts, the third best on the team.

It is therefore no surprise Pasher is the team’s lead creator. With 2.16 chances created per 90 minutes, it’s really only due to the team’s current lack of form in front of goal that he does not have significantly more assists to his name. And even so, his two assists so far are a club-leading total.

He isn’t just about the passing either. The Canadian is also an elite dribbler, often driving at the left-back when given the chance. Pasher has averaged a team-high 1.84 successful dribbles per game, getting past his man over half the time when taking him on.

The one downside to his dribbling proficiency however is that it results in the occasional selfish play. Pasher has been guilty on occasion of wanting to take his man on when better options are available to him. When he does so, he is often slowing down a counter by traveling with the ball at his feet rather than spraying it forward for a runner, which will always be a faster option.

This isn’t to say that’s always the case, far from it.

There are times where this is the right choice, and there are plenty of occasions where Pasher recognizes the need to release the ball to his fullback or a streaking forward. The more he forms connections with those around him — we shouldn’t forget the other two members of the usual front line, as well as both right wing-backs, are new to the team — the better he will anticipate these runs and make the correct decision.

After showing himself one of Legion’s most consistent performers since Briggs’ arrival, he became the club captain as a reward for his efforts. He wore the armband for the first time last Friday, and, if that game was any indication, the weight of it will only raise his performance levels. However, it will be interesting to see how he endorses the added responsibility that comes with such a role moving forward.

One of the team’s best and most experienced players, he is undoubtedly a logical choice for the armband. It’s up to him to show he can live up to the expectation he has now created for himself.

Season stats: 16 appearances, 13 starts, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 yellow cards.

Sebastian Tregarthen

Signed to his first pro deal after starring for Asheville City in USL League Two, Sebastian Tregarthen has probably been the break-out star for Birmingham Legion this season.

The young Uruguayan took some time to adapt to his new surroundings and make his mark, but has slowly grown in confidence and importance to the team.

After showing exciting glimpse of what he could bring in his debut cameo against Detroit City March 22, Tregarthen had to wait for the team’s first USL Jägermeister Cup game to get his first start. Since then, he’s continued to grow into the team as a impact player and rotation option.

With a very direct playing style, Tregarthen has shown himself at his best when running at defenses. He leads the team in dribble attempts (4.69) and successful crosses (1.07) per 90 and can often cause chaos in the opposition backline.

He still has a lot of work to do when it comes to his end product and consistency, but that is to be expected from a young player in his first full year as a pro. What he has however demonstrated is that he is not going to be phased by the big occasions, no matter his inexperience.

Tregarthen’s performance against Sacramento Republic was a perfect example of this mentality.

The young Uruguayan was having a torrid night after coming on as a sub. He lost his footing, the ball slipped out of his hands on a throw-in and his overall play was, simply put, quite poor. But like he said in his post-match interview, he just kept going regardless. It paid off, and he scored the game-winning goal with the last kick of the game.

That was already the second clutch goal for the young winger, who has also shown the ability to play wing-back, the other coming in Legion’s crucial 2-1 Jägermeister Cup win over FC Tulsa.

While we should be weary of placing too many expectations too soon on a player still finding his way in the professional ranks, there is plenty to be excited for when looking at Tregarthen’s season so far.

Season stats: 17 appearances, 6 starts, 2 goals, 1 yellow card.

Lucca Dourado

Signed from the University of Central Florida, Lucca Dourado began his Three Sparks career as a half-time substitute in Legion’s season opener, replacing the concussed Danny Trejo. After coming on in added time the next game, he got his first professional start in the following encounter, Birmingham’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup loss to Little Rock Rangers.

After missing a penalty in the first-half, he was hooked at the hour mark and never seen again.

The young Brazilian stayed on the bench the next three games before being absent from the matchday squad entirely from there on out. It was finally announced May 16 that he would be joining Forward Madison on loan for the remainder of the season.

Like Temi Ereku, Dourado’s loan to Wisconsin shows the club isn’t just trying to get him off the books. By playing for a coach with similar soccer ideas as Mark Briggs, the Brazilian should come back next season better prepared to endure the rigors of professional soccer under Legion’s Englishman.

Those at the club are still high on the young forward, it’s just about him making the most of his opportunity now.

Since his arrival in Wisconsin, Dourado has slowly earned his way into the starting XI. After consecutive sub appearances in his first two eligible games, he got his first start in game four, playing just over an hour as a left winger.

He notched his first professional goal in the following game and has started five of the last six USL League One encounters as a striker. Last weekend, he got a goal and an assist to earn a spot in the USL League One Team of the Week.

He followed it up with another assist last night before coming off at halftime.

With the young Brazilian starting to hit form up North, he will hope to show Birmingham exactly what they are missing. He will get no better opportunity to do just that than next week, when his loan team come to the Magic City for a USL Jägermeister Cup matchup.

Season stats

• Birmingham Legion: 3 appearances, 1 start
• Forward Madison: 9 appearances, 5 starts, 2 goals, 2 assists.

Sebastián Saucedo

Sebastián Saucedo has had a confusing Birmingham Legion career to date.

Signed as a free agent following over a year without a competitive game, he was surprisingly thrown straight into the action for his debut as a late sub in the first game he was eligible for. But since those 15 minutes against Oakland Roots, he hasn’t so much as made a matchday squad.

When I spoke to him following his signing, he made it clear that his absence from the game had been due to personal issues he had been dealing with. He notably mentioned how grateful he was for both Mark Briggs and Jay Heaps’ understanding of his situation when bringing him to the club.

As such, I suspect his recent disappearance has more to do with off-field issues than anything else as he moves his family to the city and gets settled in his new surroundings. He has still been in training, though not always taking part in every exercise, so while there’s no obvious injury there could also be some level of fitness-building involved following his lengthy spell out of the game.

It’s unclear at this time when we can hope to see the Three Sparks’ most recent signing in action, though next week’s USL Jägermeister Cup game against USL League One Forward Madison does sound like an ideal game to ease him back into a rhythm. Whether he’s ready for that opportunity remains to be seen.

Season stats: 1 appearance.

Finn Calloway

Though he is no longer at the club, Finn Calloway is still part of this review given he did feature for Birmingham Legion this season.

The academy graduate was never expected to make a big impact, but got an hour in the US Open Cup loss to Little Rock Rangers as well as two late sub appearances in league play.

But with no reliable stats (or stream) for that Open Cup game and only three minutes total across his two substitute appearances, there is very little I can say about the young winger.

He departed for the University of Central Florida a few weeks ago for their preseason preparations, effectively ending his affiliation with Birmingham Legion. Should he return to the USL Championship one day, it would be as a free agent and therefore not necessarily in the Magic City.

He will however always be part of the club’s history as one of its first academy signings.

Season stats: 3 appearances, 1 start.

Kameron Lacey

Kameron Lacey will probably want to put his 2025 season behind him as soon as possible.

On trial with the club since early April, Lacey finally earned a contract with the Three Sparks at the end of May. He made his debut a week later off the bench in the USL Jägermeister Cup.

Fast forward three games. Lacey missed out on the first, remained on the bench for the second, and was now in street clothes again. And this time there was a brace on his knee and crutches supporting him.

He seemed relaxed about it when crossing the media in the hallway post-game, but a few weeks later he posted a Instagram story of himself giving a thumbs up in a hospital bed. The implication was clear; his injury had required surgery.

Though there has been no official communication by the club, the suggestions seem to be that the forward will be hard-pressed to return to the pitch this season. Even if he does, he would likely be doing so at the crunch end of the year, a less-than-ideal time to ease a player with no real experience on the team back into the fold.

His recovery could still take a turn for the better and see him come back ahead of schedule, but it is likely we have seen the last of Lacey this year. And with no performances to lean on and new doubts set to surround his fitness when he returns from his injury layoff, re-signing him for next season would be a big risk for the club.

He could potentially stay on as a trialist once again so they can reassess where he’s at and give him another chance in that manner. If not, Lacey will go down in the record books as the Birmingham Legion player with the fewest minutes to his name.

Season stats: 1 appearance.

That’s it for Birmingham Legion’s forward firepower. If you haven’t seen them, check out previous reviews of the Three Sparks’ goalkeepers, defenders and midfielders. And check back in tomorrow for one final instalment to the series, looking at Mark Briggs and the club as a whole.

In the meantime, follow Timothy Belin on Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook or Bluesky to stay up to date with Birmingham Legion coverage.