Founder of Route01 Football Club

From the muddy pitches of County Durham to the competitive leagues of the United States, Max Aken-Tyers has lived a football journey defined by grit, growth, and a relentless love for the game.

 

He came through the ranks at Consett AFC, where he was named U18s Player of the Year and top goal scorer two years in a row. At just 17, Max broke into the men’s first team competing in step7 of Engliah football—an early step that showed he had something different. Around the same time, he was part of the Durham Schools U18 squad that won the Tournoi de la Pentecôte, a prestigious European youth tournament that gave him his first taste of international success.

From there, Max took his game across the Atlantic to play college soccer at the University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky. Over four years, he racked up 79 games, scored 20 goals, and provided 9 assists—ending up as the most capped player in the program’s history. He led in assists in 2014, was the top scorer in 2016, and served as vice captain in his junior and senior year. His consistency, work rate, and leadership made him a key part of the team year in, year out.

Outside of college, Max played for FA Euro New York in USL League 2, where he captained the side, and for Erie Commodores FC in the NPSL. With Erie, he helped the team win back-to-back Conference Championships in 2017 and 2018, and made it all the way to the national finals.

What really shaped Max, though, were the people he learned from. He was coached by Premier League veteran Richard Ord, and trained under Angelo Orlando, a Champions League and Serie A winner with Inter Milan. That kind of mentorship left a lasting impression—not just on how he plays the game, but how he teaches it.

After hanging up his boots, Max turned his full attention to coaching and developing the next generation. He spent five years as head coach at The Dwight School, building a record of 41-9-1, including an unbeaten regular season, an ACIS title, and multiple deep runs in conference tournaments.

He also served as Director of Soccer at The Long Trail School, where he oversaw record-breaking seasons in both goals scored and total wins—proving that his approach to coaching doesn’t just look good on paper, it delivers on the pitch.

Max has also been part of the New York Red Bulls Youth Programs, where he worked with top young talent in one of the most competitive environments in the country. Under his guidance, multiple players have gone on to play NCAA Division 1, Division 2, and Division 3 college soccer—including at schools in the NESCAC, one of the toughest and most competitive D3 conferences in the country.

Route01 Football Club is the result of all those years on the pitch, in the locker room, and on the sidelines. Max started it to give players the kind of environment he always valued: focused, challenging, supportive, and rooted in a real love for the game.