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New York City FC’s inaugural MLS squad: Where are they now?

By Matt Coles

New York City FC player starting line up Josh Saunders (12), Shay Facey (24), Andoni Iraola (51), Angelino (69), Chris Wingert (17), Mehdi Ballouchy, (20), Javier Calle (30), Andrew Jacobson (4), Thomas McNamara (15), Kwadwo Poku (88), and Captain David Villa during the 2015 MLS Match between New York City FC vs Orlando SC on July 26, 2015 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NY, USA . New York City FC won the match with a score of 5 to 3. Photo �� Ira L. Black (Photo by Ira Black/Corbis via Getty Images)
New York City FC player starting line up Josh Saunders (12), Shay Facey (24), Andoni Iraola (51), Angelino (69), Chris Wingert (17), Mehdi Ballouchy, (20), Javier Calle (30), Andrew Jacobson (4), Thomas McNamara (15), Kwadwo Poku (88), and Captain David Villa during the 2015 MLS Match between New York City FC vs Orlando SC on July 26, 2015 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NY, USA . New York City FC won the match with a score of 5 to 3. Photo �� Ira L. Black (Photo by Ira Black/Corbis via Getty Images) /
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New York City FC player Ned Grabavoy (11) during the Soccer, 2015 MLS, New York City FC vs Toronto FC on July 12, 2015 at Yankee Stadium in New York , NJ, USA . The score was tied at 4 to 4. Photo �� Ira L. Black (Photo by Ira Black/Corbis via Getty Images)
New York City FC player Ned Grabavoy (11) during the Soccer, 2015 MLS, New York City FC vs Toronto FC on July 12, 2015 at Yankee Stadium in New York , NJ, USA . The score was tied at 4 to 4. Photo �� Ira L. Black (Photo by Ira Black/Corbis via Getty Images) /

LM – Ned Grabavoy – Retired

The last of the four men in midfield for New York City FC that day was left-winger Ned Grabavoy, who spent his entire career in Major League Soccer. He played 27 times over the course of New York City’s inaugural season, scoring twice.

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After three college years with the Indiana Hoosiers, Grabavoy made his professional debut with Chicago Fire Premier, the reserves side of the Fire. He then signed a Project-40 contract with MLS and was then selected 14th overall in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft by the Los Angeles Galaxy. In his second season with the Galaxy, Grabavoy lifted both the MLS Cup and the U.S. Open Cup, before being traded to the Columbus Crew halfway through the 2016 MLS campaign.

After 18 months with the Crew, Grabavoy joined San Jose for their first season in the league, but only spent a season with the club, before joining Real Salt Lake. In his first season with the team, RSL lifted the MLS Cup, giving Grabavoy a second title. He spent six seasons in Salt Lake City, playing at least 20 times in all six, before signing for NYCFC.

Grabavoy would only spend a single season in the Bronx before signing for the Portland Timbers ahead of the 2016 term. After a year in Portland, the winger retired from the game, becoming the Director for Scouting and Recruitment at the club.

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