Sporting Kansas City Defender Jonathan Leathers Selected by Vancouver in Expansion Draft
November 24, 2010 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
Sporting Kansas City defender Jonathan Leathers was selected by the Vancouver Whitecaps with the 18th overall pick in the ninth round of the 2010 Expansion Draft on Wednesday.
Leathers, drafted by Kansas City 25th overall in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft out of Furman, played in 36 games, including playoffs, in three years for Kansas City. In 2010, the Athens, Georgia native played in eight matches, making three starts, and recorded his first career MLS point on an assist in the final game of the season.
"We thank Jonathan for his time in Kansas City and wish him the best of luck moving forward," Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes said. "We're sorry to see him go. He's been a great pro since he's been here and he has a great future ahead of him."
Leathers was a former member of the United States Under-23 National Team, and made two starts for Peter Nowak at the 2008 Toulon Tournament in France.
The 2010 Major League Soccer expansion draft was held Wednesday to supplement the rosters of incoming 2011 expansion teams Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Portland Timbers. The draft teleconference was broadcast live at 1 p.m. CT on MLSsoccer.com as the two teams alternated selections for 10 rounds, beginning with Portland's pick of Dax McCarty from Dallas.
Sporting Kansas City was allowed to protect 11 players, unveiled on Monday, while Generation Adidas and Home Grown Players were automatically exempt from the expansion draft. With Leathers' selection, Sporting Kansas City was allowed to protect an additional player and removed goalkeeper Eric Kronberg from the unprotected list.
Based on the MLS expansion draft rules, clubs were assured of losing no more than two players from their 2010 roster during the draft, and Leathers was the only player selected from Sporting.
Major League Soccer has held expansion drafts dating back to 1997 with the introduction of the Chicago Fire and Miami Fusion. Wednesday's draft marked the 5th consecutive year an MLS expansion draft was held, with the 2010 edition becoming the 7th in the 15-year history of MLS and the third draft to include two teams.
A 2011 Expansion Draft will be held in a year's time to accommodate the arrival of Montreal to Major League Soccer in 2012.
History of Sporting Kansas City Players Taken in Expansion Drafts:
Pos. PLAYER YEAR TEAM
MF Diego Gutierrez 1997 Chicago Fire
MF Francisco Gomez 2004 Chivas USA
FWD Matt Taylor 2004 Chivas USA
GK William Hesmer 2006 Toronto FC
DEF Tyson Wahl 2008 Seattle Sounders FC
DEF Jonathan Leathers 2010 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Major League Soccer Stories from November 24, 2010
- Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC Each Select 10 Players in 2010 MLS Expansion Draft - MLS
- Timbers Add Eight Through Draft, Trades - Portland Timbers
- Chivas USA Re-Acquires Alan Gordon and Adds Alejandro Moreno in Trade with Vancouver - Club Deportivo Chivas USA
- Sounders FC Acquires O'Brian White from Vancouver - Seattle Sounders FC
- Rapids Complete Trades with MLS Expansion Clubs - Colorado Rapids
- Whitecaps FC Select Ten Players in MLS 2010 Expansion Draft - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Real Salt Lake Acquires Arturo Alvarez Via Trade with Portland - Real Salt Lake
- Timbers Complete Trades with Colorado, Salt Lake - Portland Timbers
- Chicago Fire Release Players Collins John and Krzysztof Krol - Chicago Fire FC
- Sounders FC Loses Two in Expansion Draft - Seattle Sounders FC
- D.C. United Acquires Midfielder Dax McCarty - D.C. United
- Timbers Acquire Defender/Midfielder Rodney Wallace from D.C. United - Portland Timbers
- Earthquakes Midfielder Arturo Alvarez and Goalkeeper Joe Cannon Selected in 2010 MLS Expansion Draft - San Jose Earthquakes
- Chicago Fire Midfielders John Thorrington and Peter Lowry Selected in 2010 MLS Expansion Draft - Chicago Fire FC
- Jordan Graye Selected by Portland in MLS Expansion Draft - D.C. United
- Timbers Select 10 Players in MLS Expansion Draft - Portland Timbers
- Sporting Kansas City Defender Jonathan Leathers Selected by Vancouver in Expansion Draft - Sporting Kansas City
- Earthquakes 2010 Holiday Pack on Sale Now - San Jose Earthquakes
- Dynamo Turn Black Friday into Orange Friday with Special Discounts - Houston Dynamo FC
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