Mike Banner

Having picked up valuable experience through his first three seasons, Mike Banner played an important role for the Chicago Fire in 2010, Though a left midfielder by trade, the SIU-Edwardsville product has played admirably at left back when injuries arose the last few seasons. Coming off a season where he earned his career high in starts, Banner will look to continue carving out a starting role with the Fire in 2011. 

2010: Appeared in 18 matches, starting 9…made his 2010 MLS debut in 1-0 loss at NY on 3/27, starting and going the full 90 minutes at left back…scored his first and only goal of 2010 on 8/1 in a 3-2 win at league-leading LA, the 19th minute goal put the Fire ahead 3-0 and stood as the game winner – the first of his career…SUPERLIGA: Started and played all 3 matches… LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP: Started and played 45 minutes in 6/29 shootout loss vs. Charleston… INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS: Appeared in 3 matches, started 1. Came on as a halftime sub in 1-0 loss vs. Paris Saint-Germain on 5/19…Started in 3-0 loss vs. Legia Warsaw on 5/21…both matches as part of the inaugural Chicago Sister Cities International Cup… Came on as halftime sub in 1-0 loss to AC Milan on 5/30…

2009: Started 8 games played in 22…made his 2009 MLS debut in 1-1 draw at SJ on 4/11 coming off the bench in the 81rd minute…made his first start of 2009 on 7/18 in 2-0 win vs. SJ…started and played full 90 on 8/29 vs. DC in 1-0 loss… scored his first goal 8/16 @ KC in a 2-0 win…SUPERLIGA; Appeared in 3 games started 1…scored game-winning goal 2/23 vs. CHV…played full game 9/26 vs. CLB… Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup - Started and played 90 min. in 1-0 loss to WLM in USOC 3rd round…International Exhibitions - Played 90 min. vs. Club America at TOYOTA PARK

2008: Started 2 games played in 11…made his 2008 MLS debut in 2-1 win vs. TFC on 7/12 coming off the bench in the 83rd minute…made his first start of 2008 on 9/6 in 1-0 win vs. NY…started and played full 90 on 9/21 vs. DAL in 4-2 loss… has yet to score in MLS league play…MLS Cup Playoffs: Appeared in 2 playoff games …came off the bench in 85' @ NE…a 79' sub @ CLB in the final… Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup - Started and played 72 min. in 2-1 overtime loss to DC in USOC quarterfinal…Played 90 min. and scored two goals in 4-1 win vs. Cleveland City Stars in U.S. Open Cup 3rd round game...International Exhibitions - played 64 min. in 0-0 draw vs. Wisla Krakow on 5/21…played 45 minutes off the bench vs. Everton on 7/30 in 2-0 win…MLS Reserve Division - Scored 5 goals through 11 appearances (11 starts).

2007: Made MLS debut on 6-09 vs. Chivas USA … Played in three league matches in a substitute role for a total of 56 min. … Played the full 90 min. in the Fire 1-0 loss to Cruz Azul on Oct. 10 in an international friendly … Signed on 4-21-07 to developmental roster … MLS Reserve Division: Appeared in 10 Fire Reserve Division matches, starting nine … Scored one goal in 829 min. played.

College Spent one season at Georgetown University before finishing his collegiate career at SIU-Edwardsville … Played in 56 games across three seasons for SIU-Edwardsville, scoring 18 times and adding 15 assists … 2006: Appeared in 21 of Cougars' 22 games during senior season, scoring four goals and adding eight assists, the latter placing second best on a squad that finished 15-4-3 … Earned first team All- Great Lakes Valley Conference honors ... Also received All-Great Lakes Region first-team honors from the NSCAA/adidas NCAA Division II and Daktronics … 2005: Named an NSCAA All-American, All-Great Lakes Region and All-Great Lakes Valley Conference first-team selection ... Led the team with eight goals and 71 shots while adding three assists ... Scored unassisted goal in the 1-0 NCAA Quarterfinal victory over Carson Newman ... 2004: All-Great Lakes Region and All-Great Lakes Valley Conference second team selection after scoring six goals across 16 starts in his sophomore season ... Scored a goal in the national semifinal win over UNC-Pembroke ... Netted a goal in his first game as a Cougar against Indianapolis on 9-24 ... Led the GLVC in shots (66) and shots per game (4.17) ... 2002: Played in all 18 games for Georgetown in his freshman season, starting 13 of them … During his only season with the Hoyas, he played alongside former Fire teammate Jeff Curtin.

Club/Prep Attended Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. … won the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference league championship twice.

Personal Was a business major at SIU-Edwardsville.