Ryan Hollingshead is an FC Dallas fixture.
Who would’ve thought a player who delayed his arrival to Dallas by a year to pursue other passions would end up becoming a club cornerstone?
Yet Hollingshead started Saturday as he typically does, running his FC Dallas appearance total to 181 and putting him in sole possession of fourth place on the list of all-time FCD appearances.
“It’s been such a joy,” he said after the 2-0 FCD victory. “It’s hard to really put into words what this club has meant to me and my family, what this city has meant to me and my family, what my church, my fellowship, my friends, all of that has meant to me and my family.
“So, to see my name kind of rising on those ranks, that’s not why you play, you don’t play for those reasons, but you do play to be the best player you can be where you are, so the fact I’ve been here in Dallas so long, my goal has been be the best outside back you can be here for this team now. To be fourth is an honor, really, it is.”
The 30-year-old passes Zach Loyd for sole possession of fourth. Earlier this season he passed former FCD winger Michael Barrios, who had 179 appearances for the club, and Oscar Pareja, who played in 176 matches wearing the FCD shirt (and oversaw many more as manager).
Hollingshead likely won’t be able to catch the player in top spot, especially as the leader continues to add more appearances to his total. Matt Hedges, a still-active center back, sits in first with 268 appearances after Saturday’s match. Jason Kreis’ 247 and the late Bobby Rhine’s 212 are the only other totals that surpass Hollingshead’s number.
“I think I’ve got to get to 212 now to get to the next step. Now it’s my new goal. It wasn’t a goal before, but now I’ve got a new goal. Gotta get to 212,” Hollingshead said with a laugh.
Now largely settled as a left back — or at least an outside back — Hollingshead’s versatility has no doubt helped him rack up the games with FCD.
While a legendary stint as an emergency goalkeeper is perhaps fans’ favorite example of how the former winger does it all, he has a different cameo in mind if he does continue to rise through the appearance ranks.
“I’ve never started as a No. 9,” he said. “I’ve started as every other position on the field, center back, outside back on both sides, outside mid on both sides, started as a 6, as an 8. I’ve never started as a forward. At my 212th appearance, if I convince Luchi to start me as a No. 9, then I’ve done it all.”
It’s unlikely that will fit neatly into Gonzalez’s tactical schemes in 2022, but perhaps he could be swayed to try it out to honor Hollingshead, a player who looked to give his all week in and week out for the team since he debuted in 2014.
"I’ve found a lot of pride in being able to step in and play any position on the field I take that role seriously,” he said. “Any way I can help the team is what I want to do, so it’s been a weird career in that sense, jumping around like that, but also I’m so happy to be doing it.”
