Philadelphia Union announced Friday that veterans Brian Carroll, Conor Casey and Fred have each agreed to contracts to return to the club for the 2015 season. Since the Union’s inception, all three have spent considerable time with the club. Combined, they’ve played in 209 games and scored 29 goals. Per club and league policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We’re excited to have this core group of veterans returning to the club,” technical director Chris Albright said. “The knowledge and expertise they bring on a daily basis is invaluable.”
Carroll, 33, joined the team prior to the 2011 season and has served as the team captain for the past two years. This past season, Carroll became just the sixth non-goalkeeper in MLS history to reach 300 career starts, doing so against New York Red Bulls on Sept. 13. All-time, Carroll is second in club history in games started and third in games played. A savvy defensive midfielder, he has scored four career goals for the Union and has been capped by the U.S. Men’s National Team eight times. He’s also won two MLS Cups in his career, in 2004 and 2008.
Casey, 33, joined the team prior to the 2013 season and has been the team’s primary offensive target. In just 56 career games with the Union, he’s third on the all-time scoring list with 18 goals. In MLS history, Casey is 23rd all-time in goals scored – with 68 – and is sixth among active players. Casey has been capped by the U.S. Men’s National Team 19 times and won an MLS Cup in 2010 where he was named the M.V.P. of the game.
Fred, 35, will return to the team in a player-coach role. He is an original member of the club, joining the team via trade prior to the 2010 season. He was a key member of that squad, playing in 25 games, starting 24, and scoring four goals. After spending three years playing for Melbourne Heat, Fred returned to the Union in March 2014. This past season, he played in 11 games and scored one goal.
