VANCOUVER (Tuesday, March 19, 2002) - The Vancouver Whitecaps today announced that former Canadian Olympic Team goalkeeper Jim Larkin has been signed as a free agent.
The 26-year-old was the star goalkeeper of the 1996 Canadian Olympic Team, making 8 appearances playing alongside the likes of Niall Thompson, Chris Franks, and Oliver Heald.
Larkin joins Vancouver as a free agent after playing last year for the Montreal Impact. A four-year veteran of the A-League, he had previously played for the Toronto Lynx as well as Walsall of the English Second Division. A 2001 NPSL All-Star, Larkin is currently playing indoor soccer with the Cleveland Crunch of the newly renamed Major Indoor Soccer League (formerly NPSL).
After graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University, Larkin went to England, turning professional with Walsall of the Second Division in 1998. He had earlier had trials with Third Division club Cambridge United, playing one game, and then Everton of the Premier League.
After a brief spell with Walsall, Larkin returned to Canada, breaking into the A-League with the Toronto Lynx in 1998, becoming their starting keeper. After two year with Toronto, he signed with the Montreal Impact in 2000 where was the regular starter until being displaced in July 2001 by Greg Sutton.
Currently with the Cleveland Crunch, this is Larkin's third season of professional indoor soccer. He broke into the NPSL with the Edmonton Drillers in 2000 making the NPSL All Rookie Team. From there he went to the Wichita Wings, where he was an NPSL All Star. When Wichita folded, he was claimed by the Milwaukee Wave in the Dispersal Draft, and then traded to Cleveland.
At Virginia Commonwealth University, Larkin helped the team rise up from a below-average side new to the conference to one of the region's powerhouses. Larkin was three-times named NCAA Division 1 Colonial Athletic Association All Conference (Second Team in 1995 and First Team in 1996 and 1997) even though the team had a losing record the first two of those three years. He graduated with a degree in Business Marketing in 1997.
Jim Larkin (6' 3" 200lb; 191cm 91kg) was born in Scarborough, Ontario, on October 23, 1975.
Jim Larkin's A-League Statistics (regular season only)
Year Team GP Min GA SO W L T GAA
1998 Toronto 8 750 14 1 2 6 - 1.68
1999 Toronto 20 1860 29 7 7 13 - 1.40
2000 Montreal 21 1919 29 8 11 8 2 1.36
2001 Montreal 7 644 10 1 2 5 0 1.40
Total 56 5173 82 17 22 32 2 1.43
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Alan Douglas
Manager of Soccer Information
Vancouver Whitecaps and Vancouver Breakers Soccer Clubs
