Mon Jul 14 16:59:25 2008

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San Jose acquires Huckerby's rights from TFC, signs him

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San Jose, CA (Sports Network) - The San Jose Earthquakes signed English forward Darren Huckerby after acquiring his rights from Toronto FC, the team announced on Monday.

"I have been a fan of Darren's play in England for a number of years," Earthquakes coach Frank Yallop said. "He has had a very impressive career over there and we are looking forward to bringing his exciting style of play here to the Earthquakes."

In exchange for the English forward's rights, San Jose sent Toronto allocation money and an international player slot. He will be added to the roster pending the arrival of his International Transfer Certificate and approval of his visa.

"Darren should make an immediate impact on our team with his ability to go forward," Earthquakes General Manager of Soccer Operations John Doyle said. "He can score goals and create goals, and he brings with him a wealth of experience in top leagues. We are excited to add a player of his experience and quality to our team."

Huckerby, 32, joins the Earthquakes after spending the last five seasons with Norwich City. A fan favorite for the Canaries from 2003-2008, he appeared in over 200 matches, scoring 32 goals.

Huckerby's rights were owned by Toronto FC after the club filed a Discovery on him earlier in the season. The acquisition of another international slot brings TFC's total to 18.

"We had Huckerby here for a couple of days, but he's decided to test the waters in San Jose," TFC said manager and director of soccer Mo Johnston said. "However, we've been able to acquire some allocation money and an international slot for our team which will serve us well as we continue to build our team."