Laurence Wyke’s career was at a crossroads at the end of 2020. A successful first season in the professional ranks with Atlanta United 2 in the USL Championship in 2019 earned the Englishman a promotion to the organization’s Major League Soccer squad the following year, but he found himself without a club after being released at the end of the year.
A day after finding out he wasn’t in the Atlanta’s plans for the future, Wyke received a call from former Tampa Bay Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins with an offer to come down to Florida. Wyke wasn’t quite ready to take the club up on the offer, though.
“I was in the process of getting my green card at the time,” recalls Wyke. “I knew Neill was an amazing coach, but I wasn’t in the right headspace right after being let go by Atlanta. I truly didn’t know what I wanted to do after that. So, I said no to the contract.”
With the benefit of a couple of months and some advice from his father, Wyke came around to the idea of joining the Green and Gold.
“I spoke to Neill, and I actually spoke to my dad a lot at the time,” says Wyke. “My dad helped me a lot through the process. He was telling me how Neill was a fantastic player who had a great career in England, and that Neill could teach me a lot. He was right.”
There was just one snag. By the time Wyke was ready to come to Tampa Bay, the club’s roster had mostly been set for the 2021 season. Collins was still interested in securing Wyke’s services, but he’d have to earn his spot.
“I said I’ll just come down and play, so that’s what I did. There were no guarantees. We trained a little bit and I ended up scoring in a preseason game against Inter Miami that we won one-nil. I remember the fans were trying to figure out who it was. ‘Trialist 27’ was all I was known as at the time. The nickname still kind of a running joke with (Assistant Athletic Trainer) Andrew Keane in the training room today.”
Wyke eventually did sign a contract to become an official member of the roster and kept the number 27, which he had also worn in Atlanta. Fast forward to the present, and Wyke has now worn the number 27 in 100 appearances for the Rowdies.
The Bolton native’s path to becoming the 25th player in club history to hit 100 appearances has been a long and circuitous one. A total of 66 of those appearances were earned as a regular contributor for the club in 2021 and 2022. His success during those seasons reopened the door to MLS with Nashville SC in 2023, but he still managed to add another two appearances to his Rowdies tally that year during a short loan stint back in Tampa Bay. Following one season out west with Phoenix Rising FC, Wyke finally returned as a full-time Rowdies player ahead of the 2025 season.
“It’s an honor to reach 100 appearances for this club,” says Wyke. “It’s been a long time coming, but it’s a journey I wouldn’t trade for anything. You look at some of the players that have been here and the things they’ve achieved; it’s an honor to be alongside those players. I just hope I can continue to help the team and help push us forward to be not just a winning team but a dominant force in the league again.”
Wyke has been a part of some of the most memorable moments in the Rowdies Modern Era over his time with the club. Lucky Mkosana’s name is always first to come up when looking back the miraculous comeback win over Louisville City FC in the 2021 Eastern Conference. Deservedly considering his brace in the dying moments is what sent the match into extra time. It’s easy to forget, though, that Wyke delivered the assist on Steevan Dos Santos’ winning goal.
“That night really sums up what this club means to me,” say Wyke. “That stadium was absolutely rocking. Everyone from across St. Pete, Tampa was at that game or watching us come back to win it. It was just an absolutely magical atmosphere, something special that can’t be replicated in other places. There’s something unique about Al Lang and the atmosphere here. It’s the place that I want to be, the place that every player in this league would want to be. That says it all, really.”
Conner Antley, Sebastian Dalgaard, Jordan Doherty, Yan Ekra, Leo Fernandes, Aaron Guillen, Sebastian Guenzatti, Lewis Hilton, Forrest Lasso, Lucky Mkosana, and Laurence Wyke. The fact that 11 of 15 players who have played in 100 or more matches for the Rowdies in the Modern Era were on the 2021 squad illustrates just how special that season and that group of players was.
“We just had so many guys there that could make an impact, whether they were off the bench or starting. I see a lot of similarities between that team and this year’s team, where you’ve 18-20 guys who can raise the level at any time. It’s highly competitive. It was a pleasure to be a part of that team and having those guys around you.”
As one of only two holdovers from the last Rowdies team to reach the Eastern Conference Final, Wyke has a unique perspective on Tampa Bay’s return to form in 2026 as the Rowdies currently sit first in the Eastern Conference as the only unbeaten team left in the league. Wyke is keen on having the Rowdies competition for trophies again as they were back when he first joined the club.
“Last year was a very, very bad spot for me in my personal life and on the field,” he says. “I didn’t feel like myself, didn’t feel in a good spot. I struggled, and the team struggled. That’s not how I want to be remembered. I want to be remembered as a fierce competitor that is willing to help his team in any way. More than ever, I want to see this club smash it and rise to the top again. I’m ready to help the team in whatever way I can. If we stay humble and focused on the process and follow the coaching staff, I think we’re going to have a massive year.”
