▁input ▁and ▁direct ives ▁from ▁the ▁Union ▁front ▁office ▁eventually ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁a ▁team ▁that ▁would ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁Le high ▁Valley , ▁officially ▁announced ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁This ▁announ cement ▁made ▁the ▁Union ▁the ▁nin th ▁M LS ▁team ▁to ▁independently ▁own ▁and ▁operate ▁a ▁US L ▁club . ▁The ▁announ cement ▁also ▁coinc ided ▁with ▁dissol ving ▁the ▁previous ▁affili ation ▁with ▁US L ▁side ▁P enn ▁FC ▁( form ally ▁Harris burg ▁City ▁Island ers ), ▁originally ▁established ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁After ▁surve ying ▁fans ▁for ▁a ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁team , ▁the ▁results ▁ended ▁over wh el ming ly ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁“ B eth le hem ▁Ste el ▁FC ” ▁hon oring ▁the ▁previous ▁inc arn ation ▁of ▁the ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁tw enti eth ▁century . ▁Beth le hem ▁Ste el ▁FC ▁would ▁become ▁the ▁“ missing ▁link ” ▁of ▁player ▁development ▁between ▁the ▁Y SC ▁Academy ▁and ▁first ▁team ▁for ▁the ▁Philadelphia ▁Union . ▁The ▁club ▁began ▁to ▁take ▁shape ▁h iring ▁former ▁Union ▁assistant ▁coach , ▁Br end an ▁Bur ke ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁head ▁coach ▁of ▁the ▁team ' s ▁history ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁On ▁December ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Bur ke ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁signing ▁to ▁the ▁team ▁in ▁Der rick ▁Jones , ▁who ▁was ▁a ▁player ▁developing ▁in ▁the ▁Union ▁Academy