There are now more than 10 Americans playing in the English Premier League for the first time in U.S. soccer history. Not only that, but there are now several U.S. veterans, like Manchester City’s Claudio Reyna, Everton’s Tim Howard, Brian McBride, Carlos Bocanegra and Blackburn captain Brad Friedel. These are vets who’ve made their mark on the league, too: Friedel was named to the league’s Best XI in 2002, Howard earned the same honor in 2003 with Manchester United, and McBride picked up player of the year honors for Fulham last season. This year’s newcomers include Watford’s Jay DeMerit, a former MLS reject who clawed his way up from England’s lower divisions, Charlton Athletic’s new signing Cory Gibbs, and Reading’s Bobby Convey and Marcus Hahnemann. “I’m still over the moon,” said DeMerit, whose goal in a one-game playoff helped earn Watford its promotion to the Premier League. ” People had predicted us to get relegated before the season, and here we were up 3-0 (against Leeds) getting the last laugh.” The Premier League season begins Saturday, as West Ham Yank Jonathan Spector, a former Man Utd man, takes on Charlton’s Gibbs and Watford’s DeMerit faces Everton’s Howard.