After two seasons with American third tier side Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Rob Vincent had the same number of league goals as he had yellow cards.
However, the 2015 season has seen the former Everton and Crewe Alexandra youth player take his game to an unprecedented level. Despite playing in midfield, Vincent fired 18 league goals, triple the amount he had managed in his first two seasons combined.
His goal-scoring heroics were enough to see Pittsburgh make the playoffs and as he finished as the third-top scorer in the USL.
After a hugely impressive season, it’s hardly surprising the 25-year-old from Liverpool finished the year with a spell training with MLS side DC United and a move to the country’s top division remains a possibility for 2016.
This year also saw Vincent score his first ever professional hat-trick and score three goals in three US Open Cup matches, with one of those coming in the fourth round loss against DC United.
Early days
After featuring for his boyhood club Everton at youth level, where he played alongside Wayne Rooney’s brother John, Vincent made the move to Crewe before moving on to Stockport County.
He failed to secure a professional deal with Stockport so the midfielder made the move across the pond to study and play college soccer for the University of Charlston.
Once his degree was over, Vincent joined USL side Pittsburgh Riverhounds for the 2013 season, having picked up some playing experience in America’s fourth tier with West Virginia Chaos and Carolina Dynamo.
Goal machine
The midfielder’s recently acquired eye for a goal has not gone unnoticed. He made the USL team of the year and of course he has had interest from MLS sides but even Vincent himself is finding it hard to pin why he has suddenly become such a goal-scoring revelation.
In depth interview with Vincent on the Riverhounds’ YouTube channel.
In an interview with the Riverhounds’ YouTube channel, the 25-year-old commented on the momentum that scoring two goals in the season opener against Harrisburg City Islanders. That victory and also the epic 6-5 win over the same opponents later in the season showcased two of Vincent’s greatest performances of the campaign.
However there’s no doubt what the Liverpool-born midfielder’s best showing was in 2015. It came back at the start of August when Vincent scored all three goals in the 3-0 win over Wilmington Hammerheads.
During the year he has developed a reputation for long-range strikes, with many of Vincent’s goals this season coming as sumptuous strikes from outside the area.
This 90th minute long range Vincent special secured a 1-0 win over Tampa Bay Rowdies in the third round of the US Open Cup and the chance to face MLS side DC United.
2015 has been simply extraordinary for the former Everton youngster. He utterly smashed his target of 10 goals for the season as he comfortably surpassed 20 in all competitions and therefore, in turn, raising his performance levels to an unprecedented high.
2016 will be an entirely different affair. Bigger sides will continue to sniff around Vincent and pre-season will be a very interesting time for him. Next year really could be something big for Pittsburgh’s newest hero.
English Players Abroad 