Barbados’ senior men’s national captain, Andre Applewhaite, has signed a two-year contract with professional club Connecticut United FC.
The left back will compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) NEXT Pro, the league which launched in 2022 with 21 teams that now features 27 reserve sides from MLS clubs, along with two independent clubs.
Speaking after the announcement of his deal, Applewhaite said, “I’m super excited to sign for CT United next season, and I can’t wait to get started.”
This move culminates a long road to the professional level, which includes seven trials and a brief stint in the United States earlier this year with Appalachian FC in the Southeastern Conference.
Applewhaite’s move to Bridgeport follows a remarkable year in which he finished as top scorer for long-term club Weymouth Wales in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Championship with five goals. His scoring form helped the domestic league-and-cup champions reach the final, where they narrowly lost 3–2 to Moca FC. He also carried that momentum into the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup, finding the net in a 2–1 defeat to Cibao FC at the Wildey Turf.
On top of winning the domestic treble with Wales this season, the 23-year-old captured both the Best Defender and Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards in the Prime Minister’s Cup. His seven goals across the tournament helped propel Wales to last month’s final at Kensington Oval, which ended in a commanding 8–3 victory over Kickstart Rush, during which he completed a hat-trick.
The Barbadian defender will now play under the guidance of former Jamaican international Shavar Thomas in Connecticut, who was announced on Tuesday as the club’s first-ever head coach. The 44-year-old, who earned 52 caps for the Reggae Boyz and made nearly 200 MLS appearances, expressed his gratitude for the chance to build a professional club in the state where his American journey began.
“This is an incredible honour,” said Thomas. “Connecticut is where my path in the US began, and now I have the privilege to help build something new here. We’re going to create a disciplined, hardworking, fearless team that represents this state with pride. MLS NEXT Pro is just the start, and we’re building toward something much bigger.”
