A Familiar Face Returns to the Fold

It turns out that Revolution fans haven’t seen the last of Andy Dorman after all.

Five years after he left the New England Revolution for Europe, the Welsh midfielder who helped steer the club to three consecutive MLS Cup appearances has re-signed with the organization that originally drafted him.

Dorman, 30, played in 112 games for the Revolution from 2004-2007, scoring 17 goals and adding 18 assists. Following his departure, he went on to play for St. Mirren’s (2008-2010), Crystal Palace (2010-11) and Bristol Rovers (2011-12).

“I’m really excited to be coming back to Boston,” Dorman said in a statement. “It was my first professional club and a place I always look back at with great memories. I owe a lot to New England, for giving me the chance to play professional soccer and the opportunity to play in the UK.”

During his tenure in Foxboro, Dorman became a fixture in the Revolution midfield. His 112 career games are the 10th most in club history, with his 17 goals and 18 assists also 10th best all-time.

His final appearance in a Revolution uniform came in the 2007 MLS Cup Final, which the Revolution lost 2-1 against the Dynamo on Nov. 18, 2007.

Interestingly, Dorman had seen his role reduced in the final months of the 2007 season. Then-Revolutuion manager Steve Nicol cited the need to emphasize possession as the reason for dropping Dorman, despite the fact that the Welshman had scored seven goals before the All-Star break.

By the end of the season, the writing was on the wall, and the popular midfielder expectedly left to pursue other opportunities.

But years later, with former teammate Jay Heaps at the helm, Dorman considered the possibility of a return following the expiration of his loan deal with Bristol Rovers.

And after speaking with Heaps, Dorman believed that it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

“I was really impressed with everything he said about the team and his plans going forward,” Dorman said. “I was really impressed with everything he said about the team and his plans going forward. And from everything I saw last year, the team isn’t far away.”

In acquiring Dorman, the Revolution get a proven performer in the midfield who can play centrally, as well as out wide. With five seasons worth of European experience on his resume, it’s likely that he’ll also be called upon to become a leader on a team that struggled to find an identity in 2012.

“I hope I can add a bit of experience to the team,” Dorman said. “There’re a lot of young players and if we can get a good blend of youth and experience, it will put us in a good position for next year.”

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