Career
College and Amateur Knowles played college soccer for the University of Akron, captaining the team his senior year. Knowles anchored an Akron defence that allowed only three goals in league play and recorded 13 shutouts in 2004. Knowles, a two-time All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) first-team selection led Akron to two MAC titles in 2002 and 2004 and helped Akron make four consecutive National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament appearances.
He was selected to the All-MAC second team his freshman and sophomore seasons and voted Akron’s Newcomer of the Year in 2001.
In addition, Knowles was a College Soccer News All-Freshman Team honourable mention. A testament to his durability, Knowles played in 49 straight games during his career at Akron.
Knowles also played in the USL Premier Development League for Chicago Fire Premier making 14 appearances and scoring two goals in league play. In addition, Knowles scored 3 goals during the Fire"s 2004 Lamar Hunt United States. Open Cup campaign.
Professional Knowles was drafted by Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer in the fourth round of the 2005 Master of Library Science Supplemental Draft, becoming the first Akron Zip to be drafted by a Major League Soccer team
He made his professional debut on 22 June 2007 against the Los Angeles Galaxy and totalled 346 minutes in four matches his rookie season in Master of Library Science, but did not make an appearance at all in 2006 and was released at the end of the year. He started 29 of 30 matches for the Timbers in 2008 was named to the USL First Division All-League second team In August 2009 Knowles sustained a serious leg injury in Montreal that sidelined him for the rest of the season and part of 2010.
Ironically, Knowles was picked up on 26 July 2011, by the Montreal Impact.
Knowles made 8 appearances for the Impact before retiring at the end of 2011. He was released by Montreal on 12 October 2011.
International Knowles was selected in the New Zealand under 17 squad for the Fédération internationale de football association World Championships but did not participate in the tournament has he suffered a broken leg three weeks prior to the opening match. On 26 January 2012, the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer announced the addition of Knowles to the coaching staff as an assistant under Head Coach John Spencer.
Portland Timbers.
