Riverhounds Re-sign Danny Earls

 

It must be turn-back-the-clock week at Highmark Stadium.
Pittsburgh Riverhounds owner Tuffy Shallenberger promised some additional signing news this week, and sure enough we will have another returning player added to the team’s roster.
Danny Earls, who served as the team’s captain for much of 2014 and 2015, will be returning to the fold.   Earls, who played mostly in a holding midfield role and took many free kicks and corners with his accurate left foot, scored four goals and had nine assists in his first stint with the club.
In addition, a couple of updates in terms of roster updates leading up to Saturday’s game at home against Charleston — the Hounds (1-5-3, 6 pts in USL’s Eastern Conference standings) have parted ways with Caleb Postlewait, who only made a pair of appearances in the team’s first nine league games.
The team also announced today that Marshall Hollingsworth, on loan from Columbus Crew, will not play on Saturday as he remains out of action with concussion.
I’ll have a full preview in this week’s edition of BREAKING DOWN THE HOUNDS, of tomorrow’s 7 p.m. clash at Highmark Stadium with the Charleston Battery.
Here’s the official club announcement on the re-signing of Earls:

Pittsburgh Riverhounds announced the signing of former captain Danny Earls on contract for the remainder of the 2016 season. Earls, who spent the past two years with the Hounds, tallied four goals and nine assists in his time with the club.

A native of Wicklow Town, Ireland, Earls played a crucial role in the Hounds formation, serving as the holding midfielder and team captain. Earls’ game was defined by strong leadership and an aggressive style of play, lending to not only 15 bookings in his two seasons in Pittsburgh, but also consistently ranking tops amongst the team in total passes and cross completion percentage.

Earls’ soccer career extends back to his time as a trainee in Aston Villa as a 16-year-old. He began his playing career stateside in 2008, joining the Rochester Rhinos. In 2010, Earls helped the Colorado Rapids to a MLS league championship before returning to the Rhinos up until his arrival in Pittsburgh prior to the 2014 season.

Pending further paperwork, the club hopes to have Earls join the team next week, available in time for the Hounds’ road date against the Richmond Kickers on Saturday, June 11 at 7 p.m.