Brad Knighton

Brad Knighton
	Knighton with Carolina RailHawks in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Bradley Burton Knighton
Date of birth	February 6, 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth	Hickory, North Carolina, United States
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
College career
Years	Team
2003–2006	UNCW Seahawks
Senior career*
Years	Team
2006	Indiana Invaders
2007–2009	New England Revolution
2008	→ Portland Timbers (loan)
2010	Philadelphia Union
2011	Carolina RailHawks
2012–2013	Vancouver Whitecaps FC
2014–2022	New England Revolution
2015	→ Richmond Kickers (loan)
2021	New England Revolution II
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 13, 2022

Bradley Burton Knighton (born February 6, 1985) is an American former professional soccer player.

College and amateur soccer

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

Professional career

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.^[2] 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.^[3] The move was aimed at getting Knighton some valuable playing time as he had seen no first team action while with New England. He has now moved on to coaching the academy .

Knighton was selected by Philadelphia Union in the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft on November 25, 2009.^[4] 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 clean sheet, 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.^[5] In April 2011 he signed with Carolina RailHawks FC of the North American Soccer League.^[6]

Knighton signed with Vancouver Whitecaps FC of MLS in January 2012.^[7] 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.^[8]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played March 7, 2020^[9]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National Cup		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Indiana Invaders	2006^[10]	USL PDL	11	0	—		—		11	0
New England Revolution	2007	MLS	0	0	—		0	0	0	0
	2008		0	0	—		0	0	0	0
	2009		6	0	—		0	0	6	0
Portland Timbers (loan)	2008^[10]	USL-1	8	0	—		—		8	0
Philadelphia Union	2010	MLS	8	0	—		—		8	0
Carolina RailHawks	2011^[11]	NASL	28	0	—		—		28	0
Vancouver Whitecaps FC	2012	MLS	10	0	2	0	1^[a]	0	13	0
	2013	MLS	11	0	4	0	—		15	0
	Total		21	0	6	0	1	0	28	0
New England Revolution	2014	MLS	2	0	3	0	0	0	5	0
	2015		3	0	1	0	0	0	4	0
	2016		13	0	4	0	—		17	0
	2017		6	0	3	0	—		9	0
	2018		7	0	1	0	—		8	0
	2019		8	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
	2020		1	0	—		0	0	1	0
	Total		46	0	12	0	0	0	58	0
Richmond Kickers (loan)	2015^[10]	USL	1	0	—		—		1	0
Career total			123	0	18	0	1	0	142	0