Richmond Kickers all-time leading goalscorer Matthew Delicate has told the team that he has played his last season in the River City, according to Vic Dorr of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He anticipates offers from a number of USL Pro teams; failing that, he will retire. Delicate was apparently displeased by the manner in which his contract for this year was negotiated as he came off of a long term injury and feels that the same thing is shaping up to happen this season.
Delicate only became a starter down the stretch for the Kickers, when Michael Seaton was dealing with injury and being recalled to D.C. United, after battling injuries in 2012 as well. In his only quote about the situation, Leigh Cowlishaw mused that other teams can afford to pay higher salaries than Richmond can, and it is in exactly this spot where the Kickers benefited so greatly from the MLS-USL Pro relationship. If the Kickers re-sign Deli at a higher salary and then D.C. United wants to send Michael Seaton (or another striker) down for more experience, the Kickers have wasted their money. Another year of that relationship will allow the Kickers again to get good players for free from MLS and being able to spend that savings to improve the rest of their roster.
It would be strange to see Deli in a different uniform (even though he was with Rochester for three years), but I wish him the best of luck in his post Richmond career.
Before Extra Time 