The news keeps coming today for the New England Revolution. Per a team press release, they’ve re-signed midfielder Donnie Smith for the upcoming season. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We’re pleased to bring Donnie back this season,” General Manager Michael Burns said. “He’s a young player with great speed, and as a left-footed player, he’s also very versatile. We’re looking forward to seeing him develop further this year.”
Smith, 23, made one appearance in 2013, his rookie season in Major League Soccer. He started at left wing in the season opener at Chicago on March 9, but did not see any time the rest of the season.
The Revolution drafted Smith with the 21st overall pick of the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, and he appeared in six preseason games with the Revolution, recording one assist in the 3-1 win against the New York Red Bulls before signing with the club in late February. Smith was a 2012 NSCAA Scholar All-America at UNC-Charlotte, and scored four goals and added four assists in 19 appearances (16 starts) in his 2012 senior season.
In 2011, he earned second-team All-Atlantic 10 Conference honors, scoring five goals and adding three assists in 25 appearances (10 starts). He was recognized on the 2011 NCAA College Cup all-tournament team after helping the 49ers advance to the national championship match.
Smith is an out-and-out left winger, and he provides New England with depth on the left side of the midfield. He saw only a little more than half a game in 2013 when he started against the Chicago Fire in the Revs’ first game of the season on March 9th. He only featured in U.S. Open Cup play after that (where he was featured as a left-back), but he still stayed with the Revs in Foxboro for the entirely of the season instead of going out on loan the Rochester Rhinos.
Smith is a cost-friendly addition to the squad that adds valuable and versatile depth to the Revs’ attacking options. In all likelihood, though, he’ll still have his work cut out for him this season and will need to fight for minutes week-in and week-out.
Written by Steve Milne
