Brad Knighton

Brad Knighton
Personal information
Full nameBrad Burton Knighton
Date of birthFebruary 6, 1985
Place of birthHickory, North Carolina, United States
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Playing positionGoalkeeper
Club information
Current team
New England Revolution
Youth career
2003–2006Wilmington Seahawks
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2006Indiana Invaders11(0)
2007–2009New England Revolution6(0)
2008→ Portland Timbers (loan)8(0)
2010Philadelphia Union8(0)
2011Carolina RailHawks28(0)
2012–2013Vancouver Whitecaps FC21(0)
2014–New England Revolution2(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of July 13, 2014.
† Appearances (Goals).

Brad Knighton (born February 6, 1985 in Hickory, North Carolina) is an American soccer player who currently plays for New England Revolution in Major League Soccer.

Career

College and amateur

Knighton played four years of college soccer at UNC-Wilmington as well as for Indiana Invaders in the USL Premier Development League.

Professional

Undrafted by Major League Soccer, he attended a New England Revolution tryout in early 2007 and was good enough to be invited on trial for the preseason. He impressed during the trial in Bermuda, winning a spot as the Revolution's third-choice keeper and a developmental contract with the club.[1] The signing made him the first soccer player from UNC-Wilmington to be on a MLS roster.

After spending his first year and a half with the Revs behind Matt Reis and Doug Warren, he was loaned to the Portland Timbers on July 2, 2008 for the remainder of the 2008 Major League Soccer season.[2] The move was aimed at getting Knighton some valuable playing time as he had seen no first team action while with New England.

Knighton was selected by Philadelphia Union in the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft on November 25, 2009.[3] His first action with the team was a start in a friendly against Manchester United in which he allowed no goals before being replaced at halftime. He made his league debut for Philadelphia on August 8, 2010 against FC Dallas away, but was sent off for denying of an obvious goalscoring opportunity in 22nd minute. In his next start, he shut out the Chicago Fire at PPL Park on September 11, 2010, earning his first professional cleansheet, and also Philadelphia's first in franchise history. He was given a second consecutive start of the season vs. San Jose but was not able to hold down the starting position over the rest of the season, finishing with just 8 appearances.

On January 25, 2011, Knighton was waived by Philadelphia.[4] In April 2011 he signed with Carolina RailHawks FC of the North American Soccer League.[5]

Knighton signed with Vancouver Whitecaps FC of MLS in January 2012.[6] After Joe Cannon, the starting goaltender for most of the season, had a blunder against the Portland Timbers in August 2012, Knighton established himself as the starting goalkeeper.

Knighton was traded back to New England in December 2013 in exchange for a conditional pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft.[7]

Honors

NASL Best XI: 2011

See also

References

  1. ↑ Knighton to Sign Pact with Revolution UNCW Athletics, February 26, 2007, retrieved March 5, 2007.
  2. ↑ "New England Revolution Loans Out Two Players". July 2, 2008. Retrieved July 2, 2008.
  3. ↑ Union select 10 players in expansion draft
  4. ↑ Philadelphia Union Communications (January 25, 2011). "Union Waive Goalkeeper Knighton". Philadelphiaunion.com. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  5. ↑ "RailHawks Release Roster | North American Soccer League". Nasl.com. April 4, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Whitecaps FC acquire goalkeeper Brad Knighton | Vancouver Whitecaps FC". Whitecapsfc.com. January 17, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Revolution acquires GK Brad Knighton from Vancouver before trade deadline". New England Revolution. Retrieved November 24, 2014.

External links