Reading United announces trio of returnees

Three players who combined for 14 goals last season will be back with Reading United for their 2017 campaign.

Hugo Delhommelle, Paul Marie, and Frantzdy Pierrot are the first player announcements for the Philadelphia Union affiliate ahead of the Premier Development League season, which kicks off three days after Reading plays Clarkstown SC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Delhommelle, a Rennes, France, native, scored three goals in Reading last summer and transferred to Syracuse after sophomore season at Division 2 Lander University, where he had seven goals and eight assists.

Marie, who is also from France, will be with the club for a third season after leading the team in goals with seven last season and finding the back of the net three times and adding an assist in 16 games during his junior season at FIU.

Pierrot used his size and his speed to create match-up problems for opposing teams in the PDL last season, finishing with four goals and four assists before finding the back of the net eight times and adding five assists during his junior season at Coastal Carolina. The Haitian recently represented his country in a Gold Cup playoff match against Nicaragua.

Reading United opens the PDL season against local rivals Lehigh Valley United at Don Thomas Stadium on Saturday, May 13, at 7:30 p.m.