TWO former Sholing teammates are in the throes of agreeing a Transatlantic pact to provide promising, young footballers with a passage to America.

James Taylor, manager of Southampton Solent University side Team Solent, is in discussions with former Boatmen’s goalkeeper Matt Brown about sending four lads to play for FC Buffalo during the summer months.

Brown, whose man-of-the-match performance provided the backbone of Sholing’s unforgettable 2014 FA Vase triumph at Wembley, left these shores to begin a new life in the USA in August last year.

The 26-year-old, who married his American girlfriend, Alyssa, last summer, has quickly made himself at home in the States.

He was recently appointed assistant to Buffalo’s men’s soccer head coach Stu Riddle for the 2016 season and will be overseeing the goalkeepers.

But Brown, a former sports lecturer/head football coach at Bournemouth and Poole College, has not forgotten his roots.

Taylor explained: “Matt and I have kept in contact and we’re looking into a link-up between Solent and Buffalo.

“They’re interested in four of our lads going out to America from May until the end of July.

“I recommended some players and Matt flew over to look at the ones we are interested in sending.

“If it works out, it’s something we would like to do every year.

“We’ve had lads go over to the States before to coach at summer camps, but these would actually be playing football for three months with Buffalo.

“It’s not nailed-on yet and they’re unsure how many players they can take. But Matt’s gone back to America to take the idea to the owner and he’ll be back in touch.”

Brown, who came through Southampton FC’s academy with the likes of Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale and Arsenal’s Theo Walcott, earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from University of St Mark & St John in 2011. He is pursuing a master’s degree in the States.