Jack Panayotou Relishes Chance To Lift A Trophy After Setbacks
“There’s been a lot of tough moments, and none of that matters when you’re lifting a trophy.”
Circumstances haven’t always gone Jack Panayotou’s way, but that could change on Saturday when Hartford Athletic face Sacramento Republic in the USL Jagermeister Cup Final.
Panayotou signed a Homegrown deal with the New England Revolution in 2023, following a season with Georgetown University, where he scored seven goals—a team high—and added three assists.
The midfielder performed well in his first professional preseason, often lining up with the starters. Unfortunately for him, he fell ill before the regular season opener, forcing him to miss a week and a half of training.
He remembers being in a battle with fellow Massachusetts native Noel Buck for a starting role, which ultimately went to Buck.
“[Buck] started some games the year before,” Panayotou recounted to The Blazing Musket. “Bruce [Arena, head coach] was like, ‘I almost want to protect you.’”
Panayotou’s debut came in week five when the Revs traveled to face D.C. United, a special moment because it occurred in front of family and friends. It was also a significant event because the midfield consisted of three teenagers who spent time in the Academy: Panayotou (18), Buck (17), and Esmir Bajraktarevic (18).
The game ended in a 2-1 win.
While Panayotou got a second consecutive start, he ended up splitting time between the first and second teams during his rookie year. With Revs II, he had five goals and two assists during the regular season.
He was once again in limbo in 2024, prompting a loan to Rhode Island FC in the USL Championship. He made an immediate impact–collecting an assist in his debut–before returning to the Revs after four games.
Panayotou found success with his hometown club, grabbing a goal and an assist during Leagues Cup, but his minutes shrank as the team got healthier. This led to a second loan to RIFC, which had established a new identity while he was away.
“That’s kind of how it goes sometimes when you have a group that’s winning,” Panayotou said. “I think I had a couple of games in which I thought I was pretty good. There were a couple of passes that I thought I maybe could have gotten assists on, and I didn’t, and they go back to the old formation, and we didn’t lose a game the rest of the season, and that’s life.”
Rhode Island made the USL Championship Final, losing 3-0 to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Already down 2-0, Panayotou came on at halftime to create one big chance and one shot on target.
The 45-minute appearance left some wondering if things would’ve been different if Panayotou stayed with RIFC for the entire season.
The crafty attacker was granted a full-season loan in 2025, heading to Hartford, Rhode Island’s biggest rival.
He once again impressed in his debut, scoring a brace against Portland Hearts of Pine in a Jager Cup match. Momentum slowed due to a lingering hamstring injury that lasted a few months.
“It’s always tough, especially being around the facility and I’m not playing,” Panayotou said. “With a hamstring injury, you can kind of walk, and you can even kind of jog sometimes, but you can’t get the full speed. So I look normal, but I can’t play, and that can be some of the hardest times.”
Now fully healthy, Panayotou marked his return with two stunning strikes in September.
“I wanted to get back in this team and try to become a cemented starter, which can be hard when I’ve been out for a long time,” Panayotou said. “To do that, I had to produce, and I’ve started to do that since I’ve been back, and I’m hoping to continue that for the rest of this year.”
Panayotou’s next chance to make an impact comes on Saturday at Heart Health Park. It will be the second year in a row that Panayotou plays for a trophy. This time, he hopes to win it.
Hartford Athletic have a real chance, as they have only lost three times since July. The team has a clear identity under second-year coach Brendan Burke, opting to press and play in transition.
Panayotou highlighted Michee Ngalina–“very fast, very dynamic”–and his roommate Sebastian Anderson–“very talented”–as players to watch.
He views Saturday as a showcase for the players and club, which has only made the playoffs once since its founding in 2019.
“All the guys understand what an opportunity this is,” Panayotou said. “And for me, being on loan all you want to do, I guess, is to try and be remembered, and one way to do that is to bring something to this team that they haven’t gotten before in history.
“We’re all excited for this opportunity, and we’re just gonna give our best effort out there.”
Saturday’s affair, which kicks off at 10 pm EST, is an interesting one for Revs fans as former player Ryan Spaulding will suit up for Sacramento, a storied club currently sitting second in the Western Conference.
“Unfortunately, he’s not going to win a trophy,” Panayotou said with a smile. “But it’ll be nice to see him.”
Speaking candidly, Panayotou said, “I think there have been a few moments in the start of my career that I think I’ve been unlucky. A lot of things that have just not quite been in my control.”
The ultimately illness and injury were unfortunate, but the 21-year-old isn’t looking for sympathy. Instead, he’s using those moments as motivation.
On Wednesday, Panayotou said that he didn’t know what his role would be in this weekend’s game. Whatever it may be, he wants to make an impact.
“There’s been a lot of tough moments, and none of that matters when you’re lifting a trophy,” Panayotou said. “To bring something back to the town of Hartford for the club–they haven’t won anything in their history–would be awesome.
“So it’s a big opportunity. I think back on my season and say, ‘Oh, well, I was injured for a few months, and I wish that didn’t happen.’ But if you win a final for the team, and I help in that, nobody’s gonna remember the fact that I missed those months.
“It’s an opportunity to get what I want out of this season, and I’m gonna do my best to take it. We’ll see what happens.”