SALT LAKE CITY -- Even after he was traded to Colorado following Real Salt Lake's inaugural MLS season, Clint Mathis figured he would find his way back to Utah.
His first stint with the club ended in disappointment. Mathis was expected to be a veteran leader and steadying influence in Salt Lake City. But after 27 games, during which he accounted for three goals and four assists, Mathis was shipped off to the Rapids in exchange for Jeff Cunningham.
The MLS veteran came full circle this week. Mathis was added to the RSL roster Thursday afternoon from from Ergotelis FC of the Greek SuperLeague. RSL also acquired his MLS rights from the Los Angeles Galaxy in exchange for a conditional fourth round pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft.
Mathis spent parts of his 10-year career bouncing around the league. He is thrilled to be back from Europe and donning a Real uniform once again.
"I always tell people this is one of my favorite cities I've ever played in," Mathis said.
One of the things that drew him back to Utah was the chance to play for former teammate and close friend Jason Kreis. The two had discussed the possibility of Mathis returning to the club at some point when Kreis took over as head coach early last season.
With RSL in first place and looking for a talented veteran to shore up depth and bring leadership to its roster, both Mathis and Kreis felt like the right moment had arrived for him to come back into the picture.
"The timing ended up being right," Mathis said. "I just finished my stint in Greece and was out of contract and Jason just called me and asked if I would be interested in coming back. I told him for sure."
As RSL looks to hold onto its first-place status against the two-time defending MLS champion Houston Dynamo on Saturday, Kreis feels like Mathis can bring a lot of helpful qualities to the table for his young club.
He hopes to plug Mathis in at midfield where RSL has already lost two players in Carey Talley and Matias Cordoba this season.
"We've been looking for a midfielder," Kreis said. "We've been looking for somebody who's a versatile guy. We're looking for somebody with experience because we still have quite a young group. Clint fits all those bills."
Things will be different for Mathis the second time around. Instead of a struggling expansion club, he is joining a team that has surprised many with its ascent to the top of the standings.
RSL has come a long way since he joined the team as one of its original players. Real is on the eve of opening their new soccer stadium. And the club is making its first serious push for a playoff spot in club history.
For someone like Mathis, who saw how it all started, it's exciting to see RSL on the upswing after a few tough seasons.
"When I was here -- even though we weren't playing well, the fans always supported us," Mathis said. "It's good to see they have something to continue to cheer for, rather than just (ask) 'when are we ever going to get a win?'"
Mathis will make his debut against the Dynamo on Saturday and will wear jersey number 84 in honor of his son Maximus, who was born on August 4, 2008.
The signing of Mathis also helps fill a roster opening created by the departure of reserve defender Matias Mantilla earlier this week.
Mantilla began the season as a starter, but fell out of the playing rotation with the emergence of players like Jamison Olave and Tony Beltran. He asked for a release and the club granted it earlier this week, allowing him to return to Argentina and explore other professional soccer avenues there.
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