CHESTER, Pa. — No Philadelphia Union player is likely to match the legendary status of Sebastien Le Toux.
The club’s all-time leader in goals (50) and assists (50) is the only member of the Ring of Honor and is the headliner for Saturday’s “Alumni Night”.
Le Toux knows more than anyone how electric Talen Energy Stadium can be on a match night, and he is expecting a boisterous crowd to welcome back some of the team’s top players and cheer on the current side in a crucial Eastern Conference clash with D.C. United.
“I’m sure it’ll be great to see (the fans) cheering and be happy to see us,” Le Toux said on Friday. “I think it will bring them a lot of memories as well. It brings good memories to everybody. I don’t know what it’s going to be like tomorrow, but I’m sure it’s going to be fun. It should be a packed house. It’s always the best games when the stands are full.”
Le Toux, who is now part of the club’s broadcast team, will be joined by Tranquillo Barnetta, Danny Califf, Brian Carroll, Alejandro Moreno, Carlos Valdes and Sheanon Williams among others for the club’s initial “Alumni Night”.
“I think the club did a very good job to treat players well and they are happy to come back and share the memories with all of us and the fans as well,” Le Toux said.
“It’s just nice to see everybody back. Now we are old and 10 years went pretty fast. It’s good to see everybody back.”
The Frenchman created plenty of memories during his two spells with the Union from 2010-11 and 2013-16 before he retired as a Union player in 2018.
For Le Toux, every precious moment inside the stadium was unique to him, including the first time he scored in Chester.
“There are so many,” Le Toux said. “The first game here was something crazy against Seattle just because it was the first time here. It was a 4 p.m. kickoff. It was hot and not an easy game. Just to be here in your home stadium for the first time was a strong memory.”
“I have so many. It was like my second house,” Le Toux said. “I always loved to be here and loved the energy in the stadium. There’s not a bad seat here. Everybody is so passionate and it brings everybody together. When you’re a player and you feel that, you don’t want to stop playing. I have so memories. I can tell you almost every goal I scored here and every time I felt it. It always felt new. There are so many and I keep them with me because every time I think about them it makes me happy.”
As for the current side, Le Toux hopes the Union can finish off the regular season by earning a home playoff game.
“They need to be ready for the next three games (at Talen Energy Stadium) and make sure they stay up in the standings to get a home game in the playoffs,” Le Toux said.
Le Toux is one of the select few players that know what the playoff atmosphere in Chester can be like. He was on the squad in 2011 when it hosted the Houston Dynamo.
“I was lucky to be in the only (home playoff game),” Le Toux said. “It was still a good memory for me even though we lost the game. It was crazy. A home game here for the fans means they are going in the right direction.”
“The playoffs are the playoffs,” Le Toux said. “Anything can happen. Every team can win it. It’s going in the direction the team wants to go and it would be a positive thing for this year.”
“Hopefully they do (host a playoff game) and maybe there might be more than one,” Le Toux said.