Hartford Athletic Announce Departure of Brooks Thompson, Paul Walters
The Green and Blue's previously overpacked keeper room is reduced to three following Renan Ribeiro's return to full health.
Hartford Athletic announced that the loan of goalkeeper Brooks Thompson to USL League One side Spokane Velocity through the 2024 season and the recall of Paul Walters from his season-long loan back to Major League Soccer club FC Cincinnati.
Neither move is terribly surprising. The Athletic began the 2024 season four goalkeepers deep, with the expectation to start former Sporting CP goalkeeper Renan Ribeiro. However, when Ribeiro was sidelined through the majority of the first third of the season with a quad injury, it seemed as though the door was open for one of Hartford’s three backups.
Thompson, who was the starter for the majority of North Carolina FC’s title-winning 2023 campaign in USL League One; did not see a single minute of action on the field as Walters was instead brought in on an emergency loan from FCC as the club’s fifth rostered goalkeeper, starting in favor of the three backups. With Walters getting the nod and Greg Monroe taking over the backup spot on the bench, the exclusion of a former USL League One starter from the squad entirely in such a packed keeper room made a move away from Hartford almost inevitable.
As for Walters, the loanee did exactly what was expected of him. Stepping in for the injured Ribeiro with less than a week to prepare for his first match, the 19-year-old keeper led Hartford to a pair of wins and clean sheets to start 2024, making 21 saves as their primary starter for the first seven matches in all competitions before Ribeiro eventually made his return. Now that Hartford have their previously-anticipated starter back to full health and Monroe acting as the favored backup, it makes sense that a loan meant to increase playing time was cut short by Cincinnati as the MLS club will likely explore other options for Walters.