Hamilton Squared: Forge Inks Former TFC Striker Jordan Hamilton

Former Toronto FC striker Jordan Hamilton has signed with two-time CPL champions Forge FC, marking his first return to Canadian soccer since departing TFC in 2019. He arrives on a multi-year deal.

The Canadian attacker had left Irish side Sligo Rovers by mutual consent just over a month ago after procuring two goals and two assists in thirteen appearances for the Bit O’ Red. Before that, he had mutually nixed his contract with USL Championship Indy Eleven after bagging five goals in eighteen matches.

At the CPL level, he arrives as an attacker who will be expected to count himself among the league’s best – and at 26, there’s still plenty of room for him to grow.

Hamilton’s professional start came through Toronto FC, where the Scarborough-born striker accrued 37 goals in 135 appearances across all competitions, participating in the club’s treble winning season. He was then traded to the Columbus Crew in 2020, where a less influential season still saw him play part of an MLS Cup-winning side there, too.

“We are very happy to welcome Jordan to our club, “ stated Forge FC Director of Football Costa Smyrniotis. “He is a quality player we know quite well, who will strengthen an already solid attacking group as we head into the back half of our season.”

It’s no secret that the attacker has kept a close eye on on the Canadian Premier League, which we speculated he would eventually join as far back as 2019. All ten athletes we postulated on back then have eventually landed in the league.

Flashback Article: Jordan Hamilton’s Stock Is On The Rise

The 26-year-old striker had reportedly received interest from both Cavalry and Halifax, along with offers from Scotland and Cyprus too. Instead, the opportunity to return home proved a big draw for the two-time MLS Cup winner, who also appeared for the men’s national team twice.

The Hamilton-based side has outscored the rest of the league while playing less games, bagging an astounding average of 2.3 goals per game. With Woobens Pacius (9), Terran Campbell (6), and Tristan Borges (5) leading the club’s goalscoring charts, Hamilton lands in an attacking lineup that runs plenty deep.

This season has also seen the hammers land former Toronto FC left-back Ashtone Morgan, while the last few seasons have seen former TFC attackers like Molham Babouli and Emory Welshman ply their trade with Forge, too.

It’s fair to say that Forge FC has had one of the best recruitment platforms to be seen at the CPL level, though Hamilton’s arrival likely means that Omar Browne‘s much-stalled loan move has finally been binned.

The full length of Jordan Hamilton’s contract in Hamilton was not disclosed by the club, though we have confirmed that he has signed a multi-year deal in the hammer.