Danny Earls

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Danny Earls

| image = Danny-Earls-09-05-16.jpg

| image_size = 175px

| fullname = Daniel Keith Earls

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1989|4|22}}

| birth_place = Wicklow, Ireland

| height =

| position = Defender, Midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1996–2001

| youthclubs1 = Wicklow Rovers A.F.C

| youthyears2 = 2001–2005

| youthclubs2 = St. Josephs Boys Football Club

| youthyears3 = 2005–2008

| youthclubs3 = Aston Villa

| years1 = 2008–2009

| clubs1 = Rochester Rhinos

| caps1 = 53

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2010–2011

| clubs2 = Colorado Rapids

| caps2 = 22

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2012–2013

| clubs3 = Rochester Rhinos

| caps3 = 53

| goals3 = 5

| years4 = 2014–2017

| clubs4 = Pittsburgh Riverhounds

| caps4 = 76

| goals4 = 4

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalyears2 =

| nationalyears3 =

| nationalyears4 =

| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland U15

| nationalteam2 = Republic of Ireland U16

| nationalteam3 = Republic of Ireland U18

| nationalteam4 = Republic of Ireland U19

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| nationalcaps2 =

| nationalgoals2 =

| nationalcaps3 =

| nationalgoals3 =

| nationalcaps4 =

| nationalgoals4 =

| medaltemplates =

| club-update = 14 October 2017

| ntupdate =

}}

Daniel Keith "Danny" Earls (born 22 April 1989) is an Irish footballer and artist. Earls was scouted and signed as a teenager by English Premier League side Aston Villa and played youth football for the Republic of Ireland. He went on to have a nine-year professional career in the United States of America with Rochester Rhinos, Colorado Rapids and Pittsburgh Riverhounds. As of 2019, he is unattached, and focusing on becoming a professional comic book artist.{{cite web |title=Danny Earls – From MLS Cup champion to comic book artist |url=http://wicklownews.net/2019/04/danny-earls-from-mls-cup-champion-to-comic-book-artist/ |website=Wicklow News |date=12 April 2019 |accessdate=21 August 2019}}

Career

=Europe=

Born in Wicklow, Earls played for Wicklow Rovers A.F.C. and St. Josephs Boys A.F.C. in his native Ireland, before moving to English Premier League club Aston Villa in 2005. Earls never played a senior first team game for Villa, but played extensively for the reserves and captained the team until leaving in 2008.{{cite web| url = http://www.mlssoccer.com/player/danny-earls| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100330010416/http://www.mlssoccer.com/player/danny-earls| archive-date = 2010-03-30| title = Danny Earls {{!}} Major League Soccer}}

=United States=

In June 2008 Earls left England for the United States when he signed with Rochester Rhinos of the USL First Division. He made his debut with the team in the Rhinos' 2–1 victory over RWB Adria in the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on 10 June 2008. On 29 July 2008, he was selected as the USL-1 Player of the Week.{{Cite web |url=http://www.rhinoszone.com/news.php?readmore=32 |title=Danny Earls Named Player of the Week |access-date=2 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715180803/http://www.rhinoszone.com/news.php?readmore=32 |archive-date=15 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}

Earls played 53 games with the Rochester Rhinos in two seasons, before signing with Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids on 10 February 2010.{{Cite web |url=http://www.soccer365.com/mls/story_11210224353.php |title=Soccer365.com | MLS | Rapids Sign Earls and Murillo |access-date=11 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100310161845/http://soccer365.com/mls/story_11210224353.php |archive-date=10 March 2010 |url-status=dead }} During his time with Colorado he made 18 appearances and won MLS Cup.{{cite web|title=MLS Profile|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/danny-earls|publisher=Major League Soccer|accessdate=12 April 2015}} As a fan favorite he earned the nickname "Earls-B," a playful homage to the widely used Oral-B teeth whitening strips popularized by Crest during the era, a nickname earned in large part due to his tireless work rate and friendly demeanor. Earls was traded to Seattle Sounders FC, along with teammate Julien Baudet, on 22 November 2010.{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundersfcblog/2013497325_sounders_fc_trade_vagenas_to_c.html|title=Sounders FC Blog|work=The Seattle Times|access-date=23 November 2010|archive-date=29 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629070240/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundersfcblog/2013497325_sounders_fc_trade_vagenas_to_c.html|url-status=dead}}

Earls was waived by Seattle on 1 March 2011.{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundersfcblog/2014366977_two_more_leave_camp_trialist_i.html|title=Sounders FC Blog|work=The Seattle Times|access-date=1 March 2011|archive-date=28 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628192228/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundersfcblog/2014366977_two_more_leave_camp_trialist_i.html|url-status=dead}} He subsequently resumed training with Colorado and re-signed with the Rapids on 30 March 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2011/03/rapids-sign-janniere-re-sign-earls|title=Rapids sign Janniere, re-sign Earls|work=Colorado Rapids|access-date=31 March 2011|archive-date=12 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112093802/http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2011/03/rapids-sign-janniere-re-sign-earls|url-status=dead}} Colorado confirmed on 17 January 2012 that Earls would not return for the 2012 season after appearing in four matches for the Rapids during the 2011 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2012/01/rapids-have-four-international-roster-slots-available|title=Rapids have four International roster slots available|work=Colorado Rapids|access-date=20 January 2012|archive-date=3 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203132403/http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2012/01/rapids-have-four-international-roster-slots-available|url-status=dead}}

On 3 April 2012, Rochester Rhinos announced that the club re-signed Earls to a one-year deal.{{cite web|url=http://www.rhinossoccer.com/news/index.html?article_id=229 |title=rhinossoccer.com: News |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612084221/http://www.rhinossoccer.com/news/index.html?article_id=229 |archivedate=12 June 2015 |df=dmy }} Following the 2013 season, Earls was named the Rhinos' team MVP.{{cite web|last1=Doherty|first1=Brendan|title=Rhinos Transfers 2014: Danny Earls and Tyler Bellamy Out, Babacar Diallo Looks Likely to Sign|date=31 March 2014|url=http://www.thebentmusket.com/revolution-rochester-rhinos/2014/3/31/5561872/rhinos-transfers-2014-rochester-sign-babacar-diallo-release-danny-earls-tyler-bellamy|publisher=The Bent Musket|accessdate=12 April 2015}}

Prior to the 2014 season, Earls signed with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, also of the USL Pro. In his first season with the club, Earls appeared in and started 27 matches, tallying 1 goal and 6 assists.{{cite web|title=2014 Statistics|url=http://uslsoccer.com//ViewContent.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=32800&CONTENT_ID=1167664|publisher=USL|accessdate=12 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329101102/http://www.uslsoccer.com/ViewContent.dbml?CONTENT_ID=1167664&DB_OEM_ID=32800|archive-date=29 March 2015|url-status=dead}} He finished the 2015 season with 3 goals and 3 assists in 25 league appearances.{{cite web|title=2015 Stats|url=http://www.uslsoccer.com//ViewContent.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=32800&CONTENT_ID=1214065|publisher=United Soccer League|accessdate=6 October 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914161553/http://www.uslsoccer.com//ViewContent.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=32800&CONTENT_ID=1214065|archivedate=14 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}

On 3 June 2016 it was announced that the Riverhounds had resigned Earls for the remainder of the 2016 season.{{cite web|title=RIVERHOUNDS SIGN EARLS FOR REMAINDER OF SEASON|url=http://riverhounds.com/2016/06/03/riverhounds-sign-earls-for-remainder-of-season/|publisher=Pittsburgh Riverhounds|accessdate=3 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616215618/http://riverhounds.com/2016/06/03/riverhounds-sign-earls-for-remainder-of-season/|archive-date=16 June 2016|url-status=dead}} On 30 November 2017, Pittsburgh announced that Earls' contract had expired, ending his four-year spell with the club.{{cite web|url=http://www.riverhounds.com/news_article/show/861849?referrer_id=2993158|title=HOUNDS ANNOUNCE INITIAL OFFSEASON ROSTER PLANS|date=30 November 2017|publisher=Riverhounds.com|accessdate=11 December 2017}}

Having returned to his home town of Wicklow in 2018, Earls focused on his artwork and was commissioned by the Football Association of Ireland to produce programme covers for John O'Shea's testimonial match and an international friendly between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.{{cite web |title=Danny's soccer flair is matched by his art |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wicklowpeople/news/dannys-soccer-flair-is-matched-by-his-art-37571711.html |website=Independent.ie |date=December 2018 |accessdate=21 August 2019}}