John Thorrington facts for kids
Thorrington playing for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2011
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Gerard Thorrington | ||
| Date of birth | October 17, 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Johannesburg, South Africa | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Mission Viejo Pateadores | |||
| 1997–1999 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2001 | Bayer Leverkusen | 0 | (0) |
| 2001–2003 | Huddersfield Town | 67 | (7) |
| 2004 | Grimsby Town | 3 | (0) |
| 2005–2010 | Chicago Fire | 64 | (9) |
| 2011–2012 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 35 | (0) |
| 2013 | D.C. United | 14 | (0) |
| Total | 179 | (16) | |
| International career‡ | |||
| 1999 | United States U20 | 4 | (0) |
| 2001–2008 | United States | 4 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of March 19, 2014 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of November 24, 2010 |
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John Gerard Thorrington (born October 17, 1979) is a former professional soccer player. He is now a co-president and general manager for the Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC.
Even though he grew up in the United States, John was born in South Africa. He started his soccer journey as a young player in England. He played for the famous Premier League team Manchester United as a midfielder.
In 1999, he moved to Germany and joined Bayer Leverkusen. After his time in Europe, he returned to England to play for Huddersfield Town and Grimsby Town. Later, he came back to the United States. He joined Chicago Fire in 2005. He also played for other MLS teams like Vancouver Whitecaps FC and D.C. United.
John Thorrington played four times for the United States national team between 2001 and 2008. Before that, he also played four times for the United States U20 team.
Contents
Early Life and Soccer Beginnings
John Thorrington was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. His father was from South Africa and his mother was Armenian. When he was two years old, his family moved to California.
He started playing soccer at age four in the American Youth Soccer Organization. A coach named Octavio Zambrano noticed his talent. John was invited to join the Mission Viejo Pateadores team. His mother, Monique, drove him to practice twice a week.
John's father, Peter Thorrington, was a 400-meter runner from South Africa. He could not compete in the Olympics because of the sporting boycott of South Africa during the apartheid era.
Professional Soccer Career
Starting in Europe
John Thorrington went to the Chadwick School in Palos Verdes Peninsula, California. He was named the CIF-SS Division V Player of the Year in both 1996 and 1997. While playing for the Pateadores, an Englishman named Steve Kelly saw him play. Kelly helped John get a tryout with Manchester United.
At just 17 years old, John signed with Manchester United in 1997. Later, he moved to Germany to play for the Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen. He also had a short tryout with Bolton Wanderers in 2000–2001. However, he did not play for the main teams at Manchester United or Leverkusen.
Playing for Huddersfield Town
In the summer of 2001, John joined Huddersfield Town for free. The team had just moved down to the third level of English soccer. Former Manchester United player Lou Macari was their manager.
John made his first professional appearance on August 11, 2001. It was a 1-0 win against AFC Bournemouth. He scored his first goal for Huddersfield on September 2, 2001, in a 2–1 victory over Wycombe Wanderers. He played 97 games and scored seven goals during his three years there. John said his debut with Huddersfield was one of his favorite moments.
Time at Grimsby Town
In March 2004, John signed with Grimsby Town. He joined the team for free until the end of the season. The new manager, Nicky Law, brought him in.
John played his first game for Grimsby on March 13, 2004. It was a 1–1 draw with Bournemouth. He only played two more games for Grimsby because of injuries. Grimsby moved down a league at the end of the 2003–2004 season. John's contract was not renewed.
Returning to the United States with Chicago Fire
John came back to the U.S. and joined the MLS team Chicago Fire in early 2005. He still had some injury problems. In 2006, he hurt his knee during a training session at the team's new stadium.
In 2007, John scored an important goal on October 21. It was a last-minute goal against the Los Angeles Galaxy. This goal helped the Fire get into the MLS Cup playoffs. After that, he became a key player in Chicago's midfield. In 2008, he scored five goals and had two assists. He often played as a winger but also helped in defensive and attacking midfield roles.
Playing for Vancouver Whitecaps FC
In November 2010, Vancouver Whitecaps FC chose John in the MLS Expansion Draft. He injured his right leg early in the 2011 season and needed surgery. After playing for Vancouver in 2011, the club signed him again for the 2012 season. Vancouver decided not to keep him for the 2013 season.
Joining D.C. United
John then joined the MLS Re-Entry Draft in December 2012. D.C. United selected him. He officially signed with D.C. United on January 21, 2013.
International Soccer Career
Playing for U.S. Youth Teams
John became a U.S. citizen in January 1999. He then played nine games for the U.S. Under-20 men's team. He was part of the U.S. U-20 team that reached the second round of the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria. His first U.S. U-20 game was a 1–0 win over Denmark on January 24, 1999. He scored his first international goal in a 1–1 draw with Morocco on October 3, 1999.
In 2000, John played four games for the U.S. Under-23 men's national team. This included three games in the 2000 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament. He helped the team qualify for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He scored his first goal for the U-23s in a 3–0 win against Honduras on April 21, 2000. However, he could not play in the 2000 Olympics due to a hamstring injury.
Playing for the U.S. National Team
John made his debut for the U.S. national team on June 7, 2001. He came into the game in the 71st minute during a 0–0 draw against Ecuador.
His second game for the U.S. team was seven years later, on June 22, 2008, against Barbados. His third game, and first start, was against Guatemala. His fourth game was a friendly match against Sweden. He was also called to other national team training camps, but he did not play in any more official matches.
Soccer Executive Role
After he stopped playing soccer, John Thorrington worked as a special assistant for the MLS Players' Union. He also earned a business degree from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management.
On December 8, 2015, he was named the first Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager for LAFC. Under his leadership, LAFC became a very successful team. They broke the league record for points with 72 and scored 85 goals in a single season. They also outscored their opponents by 48 goals. On March 31, 2021, he became co-president of LAFC.
Awards and Achievements
D.C. United
- Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: 2013
See also
In Spanish: John Thorrington para niños
