MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced on Friday the signing of defender and Jamaican National Team captain Shavar Thomas. As per club and Major League Soccer (MLS) policy, details of the contract were not disclosed.

Thomas, 30, has played 170 career MLS games, including 158 as a starter, recording three goals and one assist. He has logged 13,804 minutes of play in his MLS career, and has appeared in five playoff games.

“As captain of the Jamaican National Team and a nine-year MLS veteran, we feel that Shavar will add great experience and quality to our team,” said Impact head coach Jesse Marsch.

During his career, Thomas was twice a member of Kansas City, playing a total of 76 games with the club between 2004 and 2006 and 19 games from 2010 to 2011. He most notably helped the team win the 2004 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. He also played with the LA Galaxy, Chivas USA and Philadelphia Union.

He was selected by the Dallas Burn in the first round (10th overall) in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft.

On the international scene, he has played 43 games since 1999 with the Jamaican National Team, winning back-to-back Caribbean Championships in 2008 and as captain in 2010. He also played in the 2004 Olympics and in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2009 and 2011.

He is an American Green Card holder and will not count as an international player on the 2012 roster.

Thomas will join the team in Guadalajara, in Mexico, as the Impact continues its training camp for its Major League Soccer debut.

SHAVAR THOMAS

Position: Defender

Height: 6’1

Weight: 195 lbs

Birth date: January 29, 1981, Hannah Town, Jamaica

Place of residence: Hannah Town, Jamaica

Former club: Sporting Kansas City (MLS 2011)

Acquired: January 20, 2012