Brad Knighton

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

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. 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. 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. 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. In April 2011 he signed with Carolina RailHawks FC of the North American Soccer League.

Knighton signed with Vancouver Whitecaps FC of MLS in January 2012. 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.

NASL Best XI: 2011