D.C. United and the Richmond Kickers have announced that the clubs have extended their affiliation agreement through the 2015 season. This is the third year of the clubs’ partnership in conjunction with the in 2013 agreement forged by Major League Soccer and USL PRO.
"We are extremely excited to be partnering with the Richmond Kickers for the third consecutive season,” said D.C. United General Manager Dave Kasper. “They provide a fantastic professional environment and have been instrumental in helping our players to develop as professionals while out on loan."
Separated by a little over 100 miles, D.C. United and the Richmond Kickers have worked closely to organize loan spells for nearly two decades before officially affiliating prior to the 2013 season. In the last two seasons, 13 players from D.C. United featured for the Kickers, including Steven Birnbaum, Alex Caskey, Andrew Dykstra, Christiano Francois, Jared Jeffrey,Taylor Kemp, Collin Martin, Kyle Porter, Jalen Robinson, Michael Seaton, Conor Shanosky, Casey Townsend and Joe Willis, who combined for 12,235 minutes with 19 goals and 11 assists. In 2013, Dykstra was named USL PRO Goalkeeper of the Year.
Through the extended arrangement with the Kickers, United will once again send a minimum of four first-team players on long-term loans to Richmond, assignments which will be announced at a later date.
"We are delighted to continue our partnership with D.C. United,” commented Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond Kickers Director of Soccer. “The addition of MLS professional players to our team has proven very successful over the last two seasons, and we look forward to continuing that tradition."
Over the past two decades, 31 D.C. United players have played with the Richmond Kickers, with the roster of players including 2011 Major League Soccer MVP Dwayne De Rosario, Mike Burke, Jeff Causey, Ben Crawley, Brian Kamler, Mike McGinty, Mark Simpson, Clyde Simms, Robert Ssejjemba and Richie Williams. Players who have featured with the Kickers on loan include Steven Birnbaum, Brian Carroll, Alex Caskey, Andrew Dykstra, John DiRaimondo, Christiano Francois, Jared Jeffrey, Taylor Kemp, Justin Mapp, Collin Martin, Andy Metcalf, Bryan Namoff, Anthony Peters, Kyle Porter, Jalen Robinson, Michael Seaton, Conor Shanosky, Long Tan, Casey Townsend, Ethan White and Joe Willis. In franchise history, an impressive 22 players have progressed from the Richmond Kickers into Major League Soccer.
