With two young goalkeepers set to carry the weight of the Union's 2016 season, the club went shopping for a veteran presence. On Tuesday, that plan came to fruition in the form of 29-year-old goalkeeper Matt Jones.
Signed to a one-year-loan from Belenenses of Portugal's Primeira Liga, the 6-foot-3 Englishman will not occupy a valuable international roster spot.
"Matt's experience and ability in big games will be a key asset to this goalkeeping group," Earnie Stewart, the Union's sporting director, said. "We will count on him to become an immediate contributor, both in terms of his mentoring ability for our younger keepers, but also for his pure shot-stopping abilities."
Although many will groan at the Union's acquiring yet another goalie, the move was a necessary addition to the current group that features 25-year-old Andre Blake and 23-year-old John McCarthy. Between the Union and their USL club, Bethlehem Steel FC, the organization needed a minimum of three starting caliber goalkeepers to provide the depth needed to compete.
Throw in the fact that Blake, the Day 1 starter, will miss significant time this season while serving the Jamaican National Team, and the move was a no-brainer for Stewart, who values high-quality depth.
Jones posted 39 shutouts in 89 career games with Belenenses since 2012.
