CARSON, Calif. (Wednesday, February 9, 2011) – Chivas USA announced on Wednesday that it has signed midfielder Simon Elliott, a standout with the New Zealand National Team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup with eight years of MLS experience, on a free transfer. The club has also signed defender Andrew Boyens, who has played with Toronto FC and the New York Red Bulls, as well as the New Zealand National Team. Both players will be eligible for Chivas USA pending receipt of their international transfer certificates (ITC).
“These signings give us depth and experience in the middle of the field,” said Chivas USA Head Coach Robin Fraser. “I have known Simon for a long time; he’ll be able to help us both on and off the field, and we saw in the World Cup last summer what he’s capable of. Andrew is a solid central defender with international experience who will be a good addition to our backline.”
Simon Elliott, 36, has a wealth of experience at both the domestic and international levels. A veteran of the New Zealand National Team, Elliott played the full 90 minutes in all three of the All Whites’ matches at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, helping the team to draws against Slovakia, Italy, and Paraguay. He has played nearly 70 matches for New Zealand since his debut with the team in 1995. At the club level, Elliott has played with the LA Galaxy (1999-2003), Columbus Crew (2004-2005) and San Jose Earthquakes (2009) in MLS, as well as Fulham of the English Premier League (2006-2008). He attended Stanford University, playing at the school in 1997 and 1998, scoring 12 goals and adding 13 assists.
A native of Dunedin, New Zealand, Andrew Boyens has been in Major League Soccer since 2007, when he made 23 appearances (21 starts) for Toronto FC, scoring one goal. Joining the New York Red Bulls in 2008, the 27-year-old made 33 regular season appearances (30 starts) for the club, as well as playing two matches in the Red Bulls’ run to the MLS Cup final in 2008. He made his debut for the New Zealand National Team in 2006 and has played 16 games for the team, and was part of the squad at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. From 2004-2006, Boyens attended the University of New Mexico, where he was named a first team All-American in 2006.
