Rapids acquire Noonan from Crew

The Colorado Rapids have acquired Pat Noonan from the Columbus Crew, both teams announced Monday. Columbus will receive a first-round 2010 SuperDraft pick and allocation money in return for the attacker.

Noonan first made his name in Major League Soccer with the New England Revolution, whom he helped lead to three straight MLS Cup finals from 2005 to '07. However, the only trophy New England won during that time was the '07 U.S. Open Cup, with Noonan being named the final's MVP.

Contract disputes led to a brief spell with Aalesunds FK of the Norwegian Premier League in '08, after which he returned to MLS with Columbus. He won the '08 Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup with the Crew, but mostly as a reserve behind league MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto.

This season, the 28-year-old playmaker has appeared five times for Columbus, not enough to justify his wages with the club. As such, he'll look at his move to Colorado as a means to reinvigorate a career that has gone stale in the last several months.