Troy Perkins
Encyclopedia
Troy Perkins is an American
soccer player who currently plays for Portland Timbers
in Major League Soccer
.
, in Worthington, OH, and played college soccer
at the University of South Florida
and the University of Evansville
. He was named third-team All-Conference USA in 2001, and second-team All-CUSA in 2002. He transferred to Evansville for his senior season. At Evansville, he allowed only twenty-one goals in nineteen matches, compiling a 1.09 goals-against-average. Perkins also played in the PDL for the Cape Cod Crusaders
in 2002 and 2003.
. Not expected to contribute, Perkins was given an opportunity after both Nick Rimando
and Doug Warren
lost their starting positions. Perkins proved up to the task, and went on to start sixteen games for the team, posting a 1.62 goals against average. Although Perkins was performing well, the team suffered during his tenure, and he was replaced near the end of the season with Nick Rimando, who would also start for United throughout the playoffs.
In early 2005 he trained with Bolton Wanderers F.C.
, an English Premier League
club and in early 2006 he trained with Everton in Liverpool
.
During the 2006 season
, Perkins was the starting goalkeeper for United, playing thirty of thirty-two games. He was also named 2006 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year
, Best XI
, and voted to the 2006 All Star Team
. Perkins finished the 2007 MLS season with a 1.10 goals against average, eight shutouts, and sixteen wins, the most in the league.
On December 20, 2007 Perkins signed a five-year contract with Vålerenga, making him the first American to sign for the Norwegian
club. Perkins move to Norway was influenced by the fact that D.C. United acquired goalkeeper Zach Wells
on December 12, 2007.
On January 13, 2010, returned to D.C. United in a complicated pre-draft trade deal in which United traded midfielder Fred
, its 2010 first round SuperDraft
pick, plus allocation money, to Philadelphia Union in order to exchange places with the Union in the allocation order, which allowed United to re-acquire Perkins. Attempts were made to sign him by Feyenoord and several French clubs, but nothing materialised and he returned to D.C. United
.
On December 17, 2010, Perkins was traded to Portland for goalkeeper Steve Cronin
and allocation money. Perkins went into camp as the Timbers' first choice goalkeeper, but he missed the first six Timbers games after a knee injury Perkins suffered in training. Despite the injury, Perkins notched the Timbers' first-ever league shutout with their 1-0 victory over Real Salt Lake
on April 30, 2011.
Perkins signed a new contract with Portland on November 28, 2011.
, receiving his first cap against Sweden on January 21, 2009.
Perkins has revealed that his return to MLS
in 2010 was because his wife was unable to settle in Norway.
Perkins considers that his training as a mortgage loan processor is important and has stated, "Goalies can usually play until they're around 40, so you have to think about a job after retirement," He has an "austere pregame routine, which entails shutting off all electronics and not talking to anyone for 24 hours. 'I'm a miserable person to be around,' he says, laughing. 'My wife hates it.'"
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player who currently plays for Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams:*Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer expansion team that began playing in 2011....
in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
College and amateur
Perkins is a graduate of Thomas Worthington High SchoolThomas Worthington High School
Thomas Worthington High School is located in Worthington, Ohio, TWHS has historically been among the top performing high schools in Ohio in terms of academics. The school was formerly named Worthington High School until the 1991 opening of Worthington Kilbourne High SchoolThomas Worthington is the...
, in Worthington, OH, and played college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
at the University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
and the University of Evansville
University of Evansville
The University of Evansville is a small, private university with approximately 3,050 students located in Evansville, Indiana. Founded in 1854 as Moores Hill College, it is located near the interchange of the Lloyd Expressway and U.S. Route 41. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
. He was named third-team All-Conference USA in 2001, and second-team All-CUSA in 2002. He transferred to Evansville for his senior season. At Evansville, he allowed only twenty-one goals in nineteen matches, compiling a 1.09 goals-against-average. Perkins also played in the PDL for the Cape Cod Crusaders
Cape Cod Crusaders
Cape Cod Crusaders were an American soccer team based in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1994, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2008, when the franchise folded and the team left the league.The team...
in 2002 and 2003.
Professional
Upon graduating in 2003, Perkins went undrafted. However, he was signed to a developmental contract by D.C. UnitedD.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
. Not expected to contribute, Perkins was given an opportunity after both Nick Rimando
Nick Rimando
Nicholas Paul "Nick" Rimando is an American soccer player who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer and the United States national team-College:...
and Doug Warren
Doug Warren
Douglas Patrick "Doug" Warren is an American soccer goalkeeper, who last played for the New England Revolution in Major League Soccer. He was a member of the U.S. team at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship....
lost their starting positions. Perkins proved up to the task, and went on to start sixteen games for the team, posting a 1.62 goals against average. Although Perkins was performing well, the team suffered during his tenure, and he was replaced near the end of the season with Nick Rimando, who would also start for United throughout the playoffs.
In early 2005 he trained with Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
, an English Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
club and in early 2006 he trained with Everton in Liverpool
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
.
During the 2006 season
Major League Soccer 2006 season
The 2006 Major League Soccer season was the 11th season in league history. It began on April 1, 2006 and ended with MLS Cup 2006 on November 12, 2006 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas for the second consecutive year in a row.-Changes from 2005 Season:...
, Perkins was the starting goalkeeper for United, playing thirty of thirty-two games. He was also named 2006 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year
MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award
In the United States, Major League Soccer has handed out a Goalkeeper of the Year Award since its inception in 1996. Here is a list of recipients:-Winners:-External links:*...
, Best XI
MLS Best XI
The MLS Best XI is an acknowledgement of the best eleven players in the league in a given season for Major League Soccer in Canada and the United States.-Winners:*Players in bold text also won the Major League Soccer MVP Award award for that season....
, and voted to the 2006 All Star Team
MLS All-Star 2006
The 2006 Sierra Mist Major League Soccer All-Star Game was the 11th Major League Soccer All-Star Game, played on August 5, 2006, at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois between the MLS All-Stars and Chelsea...
. Perkins finished the 2007 MLS season with a 1.10 goals against average, eight shutouts, and sixteen wins, the most in the league.
On December 20, 2007 Perkins signed a five-year contract with Vålerenga, making him the first American to sign for the Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
club. Perkins move to Norway was influenced by the fact that D.C. United acquired goalkeeper Zach Wells
Zach Wells
Zach Wells is a retired American soccer goalkeeper.-College:...
on December 12, 2007.
On January 13, 2010, returned to D.C. United in a complicated pre-draft trade deal in which United traded midfielder Fred
Helbert Frederico Carreiro da Silva
Helbert Frederico Carreiro da Silva, commonly known as Fred is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for A-League club Melbourne Heart, and is also the team captain.-Brazil:...
, its 2010 first round SuperDraft
MLS SuperDraft
The MLS SuperDraft is an annual event, taking place in January of each year, in which the Major League Soccer teams select players who have graduated from college or otherwise been signed by the league...
pick, plus allocation money, to Philadelphia Union in order to exchange places with the Union in the allocation order, which allowed United to re-acquire Perkins. Attempts were made to sign him by Feyenoord and several French clubs, but nothing materialised and he returned to D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
.
On December 17, 2010, Perkins was traded to Portland for goalkeeper Steve Cronin
Steve Cronin
Steve Michael Cronin is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:Cronin played college soccer at Santa Clara University from 2001 to 2003...
and allocation money. Perkins went into camp as the Timbers' first choice goalkeeper, but he missed the first six Timbers games after a knee injury Perkins suffered in training. Despite the injury, Perkins notched the Timbers' first-ever league shutout with their 1-0 victory over Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
on April 30, 2011.
Perkins signed a new contract with Portland on November 28, 2011.
International
Perkins has also played for the United States National TeamUnited States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
, receiving his first cap against Sweden on January 21, 2009.
Personal life
While being a backup goalkeeper for DC United, Perkins also had a second job working at a sporting goods store in Fair Lakes, VA called Galyans (which is currently known as Dick's Sporting Goods). Beginning in 2006, Perkins worked a second job as a mortgage loan processor, leading United fans to put up a banner that said, "Troy Saves -- and Loans."Perkins has revealed that his return to MLS
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
in 2010 was because his wife was unable to settle in Norway.
Perkins considers that his training as a mortgage loan processor is important and has stated, "Goalies can usually play until they're around 40, so you have to think about a job after retirement," He has an "austere pregame routine, which entails shutting off all electronics and not talking to anyone for 24 hours. 'I'm a miserable person to be around,' he says, laughing. 'My wife hates it.'"
D.C. United
- Major League SoccerMajor League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
Supporter's Shield (1): 20072007 Major League Soccer seasonThe 2007 Major League Soccer season was the 12th season in league history. The season began on April 7 and concluded with MLS Cup 2007 on November 18, 2007 at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C.....
Individual
- MLS Goalkeeper of the YearMLS Goalkeeper of the Year AwardIn the United States, Major League Soccer has handed out a Goalkeeper of the Year Award since its inception in 1996. Here is a list of recipients:-Winners:-External links:*...
: 2006 - MLS Best XIMLS Best XIThe MLS Best XI is an acknowledgement of the best eleven players in the league in a given season for Major League Soccer in Canada and the United States.-Winners:*Players in bold text also won the Major League Soccer MVP Award award for that season....
: 2006