We have not done a great job over the years covering Bobby Shuttleworth, who has been frankly one of UB’s most successful Bulls in the Pros over an eight-year MLS career in Boston. But with Russell Cicerone joining the professional ranks in 2017, we can’t ignore Buffalo’s first in the country’s top league.
Shuttleworth is among the MLS headlines today, the odd man out in a crowded goalie situation in Boston, as the New England Revolution, for whom Bobby has made 127 appearances since 2009, have dealt him to Minnesota United FC, an expansion team starting their first season at the top of the USA soccer pyramid.
Shuttleworth has been New England’s first choice in net for much of the last four seasons, has played in six MLS Cup Playoffs, and reached the final with the Revolution in 2014, making four saves before falling to the LA Galaxy on an extra time goal from Robby Keane. But now after a sharp dropoff in quality in 2016 coupled with the first playoff-less season in Foxboro since 2012, he’s replaced by younger talent in Cody Cropper, a one-time national team prospect who first came to New England last season.
The deal is a straight swap of Shuttleworth for Femi-Hollinger Janzen, who had been with New England before Minnesota took him in the expansion draft. Trust me when I say that trades in MLS can be much, much more complicated.
In Minnesota, Bobby joins a goalie group that includes likely starter John Alvbage, on loan from Swedish Allsvenskan side IFK Goteburg, MLS Superdraft pick Alec Ferrell, who just capped a college career at ACC team Wake Forest, and career USL keeper Patrick McLain. My gut is that Shuttleworth sets in as a backup to Alvbage.