John Thorrington

He went on to play for fellow Major League Soccer teams Vancouver Whitecaps FC and D.C. United.

After failing to make a first-team appearance with Manchester United and Leverkusen, Thorrington signed with Huddersfield Town in the summer of 2001 on a free transfer.

Huddersfield had recently suffered relegation to the third tier of English soccer and were managed by former Manchester United player Lou Macari.

Macari handed Thorrington his full professional debut on August 11, 2001, in a 1-0 league victory over AFC Bournemouth.

At the end of a promising first season, he developed a hamstring injury, which led to chronic leg troubles.

He was brought to the club by Town's newly appointed manager Nicky Law along with veterans Alan Fettis and Paul Warhurst.

Thorrington would only manage two other appearances for Grimsby and missed the end of the season due to ongoing injury woes.

Thorrington returned to the States and signed with MLS side Chicago Fire in early 2005, but injury problems continued.

[4] Thorrington was left exposed by Chicago for the November 2010 MLS Expansion Draft and was selected by Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

[8] After retiring from soccer, Thorrington served as special assistant to MLS Players' Union executive director Bob Foose and received an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management.

[9] He presided over 'the best regular-season team in MLS history', as LAFC broke the league record for points with 72, equaled the single-season best with 85 goals and outscored opponents by 48.