Iron Maiden bassist and songwriter Steve Harris was among eight members of the heavy metal band's entourage to play soccer at Clarke Stadium Thursday.
The band is in town for its Legacy Of The Beast tour and will play Rogers Place Friday. Iron Maiden has been in Edmonton before, but never on the soccer pitch.
“It’s too bloody cold every other time. But yeah, it’s great, great facility,” Harris told a media scrum before the match. “We’re just really pleased that we were able to have a game. And we appreciate the people putting it on for us.”
Harris, members of opening band Raven Age and crew workers joined FC Edmonton staff and academy prospects, as well as members of the media, for a mixed team 90-minute match.
Iron Maiden won 8-2.
FC Edmonton fan Marcus Gluecks has seen the band in concert 10 times. For Gluecks, suiting up against Harris was an incredible thrill.
“I was like, ‘Oh, my God, don’t trip him. He has a show tomorrow!’” Gluecks said. “It’s unreal seeing him running towards me. I had no idea what to do.”
FC Edmonton Head Coach Jeff Paulus was on the sidelines to offer tips, but no professional contracts.
Paulus said soccer, or “football” as he prefers to call it, is a great global unifier.
“It’s played in the streets, it’s played on the beaches, it’s played everywhere,” Paulus said. “It does bring people together. We share a passion; we share an emotion for a game.”
Iron Maiden, a heavy metal band formed in England in 1975, is known to challenge local soccer teams while on tour.
