Timbers release Tennyson

PORTLAND, Ore.
– The Portland Timbers have released forward McKinley Tennyson from his contract, it was announced Tuesday.




Tennyson had not played this season, missing the team’s first four games while recovering from off-season hip surgery.




“A player with McKinley’s skill needs to be playing and we were going to be hard-pressed to give him much in the way of quality minutes this season, so from that perspective, releasing him was the right thing to do,” said Timbers general manager Jim Taylor. “We wish him all the best for the future and thank him for the many magical moments he’s given us these past few seasons.”




In two seasons with the Timbers, Tennyson tallied 29 goals and 67 points.




Tennyson, 25, led the Timbers in points the last two seasons, netting 25 in 2003 on 11 goals and three assists. In his 2002 rookie season, Tennyson led the A-League in scoring with 42 points on 18 goals and six assists. He was named to the A-League’s first team by its coaches and was the first to receive a newly created award given to the top offensive player in the A-League age 23 or younger.