Matt Knowles was born October 7th, 1970 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Philadelphia and attended Archbishop Ryan High School from 1985 to 1988.
In the summer of 1990, he signed with the Penn-Jersey Spirit of the American Professional Soccer League. He also played indoor soccer with the expansion Illinois Thunder of the National Professional Soccer League. In 1991, he played nineteen games with the Spirit, scoring one goal. The Spirit folded at the end of the 1991 season and Matt moved to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers for the 1992 APSL season. He spent two seasons with the Illinois Thunder, earning him NPSL Defender of the Year honors for the 1991-1992 season. That season, he scored forty-five goals in forty games as a defender. In addition to his Defender of the Year Award, he was selected to the first team All NPSL team. The Thunder moved to Denver at the end of the 1991-1992 season, and Matt played three games there before being traded to the Milwaukee Wave.
While he had been an integral part of the Spirit, he saw time in only three games with the Strikers.
In 1993, he moved to the Rowdies where his playing time increased to nine games.
In the fall of 1993, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. The injury put him out of all but five games of the 1993-1994 season. He bounced back the next season, gaining ninety-four points, making him the second highest scorer on the Wave. He continued his excellent play in the 1995-1996 season, earning his second Defender of the Year title and first team All NPSL recognition while racking up 123 points on 47 goals and 36 assists.
His indoor success brought him to the attention of the Major League Soccer as that league was beginning operations in 1996. In February 1996, the MetroStars selected him in the first round (ninth overall) in the league’s Inaugural Player Draft. While Matt signed with the MetroStars, he continued to play indoor soccer during the MLS off-season. Following his being drafted by the MetroStars in February 1996, he spent two and a half seasons with the team. While he played nearly every game of the 1996 season, he was injured during the 1996-1997 NPSL season. While he experienced considerable success with the Wave, he had frequent disagreements with the Wave’s ownership. This led to his expressing a desire to be traded. On December 26th, 1996, the Wave acquiesced to his desires and traded him to the Cleveland Crunch for Glenn Carbonara, Todd Dusosky, Obi Moneme and cash. He was injured while in Cleveland and saw little playing time. This led to his sporadic playing time with the MetroStars during the 1997 and 1998 seasons. On July 1st, 1998 he was traded to the expansion Miami Fusion for a third round College Draft pick. He played out the remainder of the 1998 seasons with the Fusion, but played in only three games.
On July 29th, 1997, he bought out the remaining three years of his contract with the Crunch and signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia KiXX. In the 1997-1998 season, his first in Philadelphia, he experienced a resurgence which led to his third Defender of the Year award. At the end of the 1998 season, Matt left outdoor soccer to concentrate on his more successful indoor career.
After one more season with the KiXX, he then moved to the Detroit Rockers. He played two seasons in Detroit before the Rockers folded at the end of the 2000-2001 season.
In 2001, the Harrisburg Heat picked up Matt in the dispersal draft. That year, the NPSL disbanded and the surviving NPSL franchises created a new league, the Major Indoor Soccer League. At some time in 2002, he moved from the Heat to the Kansas City Comets. On October 2nd, 2002, the Comets traded him to the Philadelphia KiXX in exchange for Matt Caution. However, he again experienced a considerable number of injuries and spent most of the season on the injured-reserved list.
Today, Matt Knowles is currently coaching in the IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida.
In 2001, the Harrisburg Heat picked up Matt in the dispersal draft. That year, the NPSL disbanded and the surviving NPSL franchises created a new league, the Major Indoor Soccer League. At some time in 2002, he moved from the Heat to the Kansas City Comets. On October 2nd, 2002, the Comets traded him to the Philadelphia KiXX in exchange for Matt Caution. However, he again experienced a considerable number of injuries and spent most of the season on the injured-reserved list.
Today, Matt Knowles is currently coaching in the IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida.Can anyone help me with a photo of Matt in a Rowdies jersey? - If so please email me.
to who it my concern;I Hae reading thingd onlin
ReplyDeleteOUR NMAES AREA MARK AND DEBBIE AND IN 1994-94 OUR S0N DYLAN WAS BEING AT univrtsity of tampa for a unknown deaseaas parent we were not living on normal life.
I have been seeing alot things about soccer camps and came across this 1 where it sait star soccer camp ans mat is involed thats great.
Many may not know but Matt lost his oldest brother who was is everything ans he sister the sweetest thingg ever.
Matt with erine is like batnan not having robin.
They were so close matt would call eneine and ask everthing.
(notto bad ex should been yrs ago))
my son is heathy cant play sports
but i cun hud him everyday.
my daughty want to ask matt to the fall dance she.
I seen matt knowles at his soccer camp I have to say I never seen a former work with the kids like matt did. I have heard a lot of things the ladt few years a bout matt he looks great and had 175 kids at camp.on friday mia hamm and heather mitts showed up that wad great. I talked with matt for awhile and he wad honest he did have a major problem with pain killers and evevyday he wants 1 but knowd he can not take them he is a good guy who is working on his life while giving back to our youth I look up to him because he is holding his head up high god bless you matt great work.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteMY NAME IS MARK JOHNSON AND MY WIFE PATT AND I HAVE 3 KIDS AND OUR YOUNGEST IS 6 AND LAST YEAR HE WAS SICK ALL THE TIME SO IN APRIL HE WAS PUT INTO CHILDRENS HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA OVER THE PAST5 MONTHS EVERY TUESDAY THIS GUY COMES TO THE HOSPITAL AND PLAYS,TALKS WITH THE KIDS,OUR SON HAS TAKEN A LIKEN TO HIM AND THEY LAUGH ALL THE TIME,SO I ASK THE GUY WHATS YOUR NAME AND WHAT DO YOU DO HE SAID HIS NAME IS
MATT KNOWLES AND HE RETIRED FROM PLAYING PRO SOCCER AND LOVES SEEING THE KIDS SMILE,THE OTHER DAY HESAID TO MY WIFE AND I IF YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT LIFE IS EASY COMPARED TO WHAT THESE KIDS GO THROUGH ON A DAILY BASIS AND THEY NEVER COMPLAIN NEVERYET WE DO AT LINES IN THE BANK OR TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD.
I GUESS WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS I DONT KNOW MATT KNOWLES I HAVE READ ALOT ABOUT HIM AND HE IS ONE OF THE NICEST MAN WE EVER MET AND ANY PARENT WILL AGREE IF YOU TREAT OUR KIDS RIGHT AND MAKE THEM FEEL SPECIAL YOU ARE A GOOD PERSON.
MY WIFE AND I WERE TALKING AND WE HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW MATT PRETTY WELL WE HAVE GONE TO DINNER AND TALKED FOR HOURS WITH HIM.
MATT LOST ALOT OVER THE PAST 5
YEARS DURING HIS PLAYING DAYS MATT HAD MANY BAD INJURYS AND HE WAS GIVEN PAIN MEDS AND HE BECAME DEPENDED ON THESE MEDS AND THEY TOOK EVERYTHING HE WORKED SO HARD FOR AWAY,FAMILY,HE LOST HIS BROTHER AND SISTER AND HE LOST HIS SELF RESPECT BUT EACH DAY IT GETS BETTER AND HE SAID YOU FIND OUT WHO YOUR TRUE FRIENDS ARE WHEN YOUR ON TOP AND PLAYING EVRYONE WANTS TO BE YOUR FRIEND BUT WHEN THE SHOW IS OVER NOBODY IS AROUND.
THE ONE GREAT THING HE SAID TO US WAS NOBODY DID THIS TO HIM HE DID IT ALL TO HIMSELF AND WILL ALWAYS BE HERE FOR THESE KIDS AT CHILDRENS HOSPITAL BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT NEED US.
I JUST WANT TO SAY ON BEHALF OF MY WIFE PATTY MY 2 OTHER CHILDREN MEGAN AND KELSEY AND MYSELF MARK JOHNSON MATT KNOWLES YOU ARE A GREAT PERSON AND YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A FRIEND MATT MAY NOT KNOW THIS BUT WE LOST OUR SON WEDNESDAY NIGHT TO CANCER HE FOUGHT TO THE VERY END AND MATT KNOWLES TOLD HIM DONT BE SCARED ON TUESDAY WHEN MATT LEFT THE HOSPITAL OUR SON TOLD MATT ON THE WAY OUT THAT HE LOVED HIM AND YOU ARE THE BIG BROTHER I NEVER HAD MATT SAID I LOVE YOU TO BUDDY AND YOUR THE LITTLE BROTHER I NEVER HAD THAT WAS THE FIRST AND LAST TIME THEY EACH SAID THAT.
IF ANYONE CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH MATT KNOWLES PLEASE HAVE HIM CALL US AS SOON AS HE CAN.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE'S SUPPORT OVER THE PAST 5 MONTH'S
WELOVE YOU GUYS.
MARK,PATTY,KELSEY,MEGAN
JOHNSON FAMILE.