BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. - The Chicago Fire announced today that the club has signed forward Andy Herron to the team's 28-man roster. Herron, 29, comes to Chicago after the club received the domestic rights to the striker from Columbus Crew on Jan. 21, 2008 in exchange for the Fire's 2010 MLS SuperDraft fourth round pick. Per league policy, terms of his contract were not disclosed.
Herron most recently played for Puntarenas F.C. of the Primera División de Costa Rica while the Fire came to terms with Costa Rican international.
"Andy's been around the guys, he's been around the coaching staff, and that's important with team chemistry," said Fire Technical Director Frank Klopas. "We're happy to sign him to help strengthen our attack and our staff feels confident that he will be able contribute for us again."
"In regard to Andy, it was a simple situation of picking up the rights to a player we know very well," said Fire Head Coach Denis Hamlett. "We feel that Andy has shown that he can be a scoring threat in this league. The opportunity to sign him is significant as we continue to look for more options in the final third."
Herron tallied four goals and two assists for Columbus through the 2007 season. The Puerto Limon, Costa Native began his MLS career with Chicago in 2004, and played an integral part of the Fire's championship run in the 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, totaling four goals and one assist across all three games he started.
Through three seasons with the "Men in Red", Herron netted 15 goals and three assists in 44 games played (34 starts). In 2007, Chicago dealt the rights to Herron to Columbus Crew during a draft-day trade. The Fire received as compensation a first round (second overall) MLS SuperDraft pick, with which the Fire selected midfielder Bakary Soumare. Herron has scored 19 goals and notched five assists through 62 games played (44 starts) overall in MLS play.
