‘It’s the fans’ club’: Philip Quinton honored by RSL supporters

HERRIMAN — Alex Katranis had something to get off his chest.

Following Real Salt Lake’s 2-2 home draw against LAFC on Sept. 5, he finished answering reporters’ questions, then asked permission to make one final statement.

“If you want to come at the stadium to boo one person, please stay at home,” Katranis said.

“Here, we’re a team. We’re a family. If you want to boo someone, boo everyone as a team, because we wear a badge here.”

Katranis was reacting to boos directed at individual RSL players during the match, particularly center back Philip Quinton, who had spent much of the evening trying to contain LAFC’s formidable attack.

“Yeah, you hear it,” Quinton said following training Thursday. “It’s hard to avoid it.”

Two months later, following RSL’s regular-season finale against the LA Galaxy, Quinton received a rather different message from the club’s organized supporters.

The 26-year-old defender was presented with the inaugural Supporters’ Choice Award on the field, an honor established by The Riot Council, which represents RSL’s organized supporters’ groups.

Engraved on the award are three words: “Earned through loyalty.”

More minutes, more scrutiny

Quinton made 16 MLS appearances in 2025, including nine starts, totaling 809 minutes.

He finished the 2026 regular season with 29 appearances, 25 starts and 2,277 minutes, the fourth-highest total among RSL field players and the most among central defenders.

But while his workload increased dramatically, Quinton said his own expectations hadn’t changed.

“My expectation I have for myself, is to play every game and be available for every game,” Quinton said. “So I feel like this year was closer to that goal than in years past.”

RSL endured a difficult stretch in the middle of the season, with long-term injuries, the departures of fan favorites like Zavier Gozo and Pablo Ruiz, and inconsistent performances contributing to the club’s slide down the standings.

Quinton, frequently tasked with defending some of the league’s most dangerous attacking players, became a target of frustration for portions of the fan base.

Against LAFC, frustration boiled over.

On the first goal, an unforced giveaway in RSL’s attacking third sparked a fast transition, leaving Quinton scrambling to defend three-time MLS All-Star winger Denis Bouanga one-on-one. Quinton stayed close to the LAFC star, who nevertheless produced a spectacular finish from a chance valued at just 0.04 expected goals.

On the second, Bouanga escaped Quinton near the endline before finding former Premier League Golden Boot winner Son Heung-min criminally unmarked, directly in front of goal and a step beyond the six-yard box. 

Son fired a shot that goalkeeper Rafa Cabral somehow managed to get a hand to, but could only deflect the ball off the underside of the crossbar and into the net.

The two plays illustrated the unforgiving nature of defending elite attackers. 

Quinton wasn’t without fault, particularly on the second goal, but neither was he solely responsible for either defensive breakdown.

Nevertheless, pockets of fans singled him out for boos whenever he touched the ball afterward.

Katranis insisted that responsibility belonged to everyone wearing the claret and cobalt, not any one player.

Reflecting on the incident more than two months later, Quinton offered a different perspective.

“It’s hard, but it’s part of the sport, and it’s part of what you sign up for,” Quinton said. “Players come and go, coaches come and go, front office comes and goes. It’s the fans’ club.

“It’s been that way since the founding, so I think it’s important that fans have a standard for their club, and whether it’s me or someone else or the team in general, I think when you play below that standard, I think it’s part of the expectation that the fans will make their voices heard.

“So I try not to take it too personally, but it’s obviously something that comes with what we do, and you just try to put your head down and keep going.”

Here’s to the guys who made their mark this season

In English: https://t.co/Qr9hD4PAqy
En Español: https://t.co/jdQlfiI5LK https://t.co/UkJ1Fryn26

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) November 12, 2026

Finding confidence in difficult moments

That understanding didn’t necessarily make the criticism easier to absorb.

Asked whether hearing boos from his own supporters affected his confidence, Quinton acknowledged that he wasn’t immune.

“I’d like to say no, but I think that stuff always impacts you,” he said.

“You’re used to it on the road and in other environments, but I think when it happens at home, sometimes it can be jarring.”

What helped him persevere was the continued confidence of his coaches and teammates.

“I feel fortunate to be in this group with this coaching staff who’s believed in me all season, and I feel like they made it easy to keep the faith in myself and, more importantly, the team.”

‘Earned through loyalty’

RSL supporters and supporters’ group leaders described a player who gave everything on the field and continued making time for fans throughout the season, regardless of results.

They recalled Quinton interacting with fans on social media, responding to messages and taking photographs with children.

Following RSL’s 3-0 loss to Club León in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals, Quinton was among the first players to approach the traveling supporters at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado, commiserating with them long after the final whistle. 

Despite watching their team get eliminated, hundreds of RSL supporters stayed to sing, bang their drums and show their appreciation for the players.

Even after being booed at home against LAFC, Quinton walked around the stadium applauding fans.

Supporters’ leadership explained that the new award was created to acknowledge players who foster relationships with supporters and demonstrate a commitment to the community surrounding the club.

Quinton learned he had won the award during the week leading up to RSL’s regular-season finale against the LA Galaxy.

“I was surprised at first, and humbled for sure,” Quinton said.

“I think there’s a lot of guys who have shown their loyalty to this club this year in various ways and shown their commitment to it on and off the field through both their performances, but also what they do to represent the club on a daily basis in the community.”

Quinton also credited the supporters for sticking with the team.

“They’re the most important people at this club,” he said. “They determine where this club’s gonna go in the future, and I think to be recognized by them through a tough season is an honor for me.”

A season still unfinished

Quinton played all 90 minutes of RSL’s 2-1 victory over the LA Galaxy on November 7, helping the club secure a postseason berth.

Now, following the international break, RSL faces Seattle in Thursday’s Western Conference Wild Card match, with the winner advancing to a first-round series against Vancouver.

“I think for six to eight weeks we’ve kind of been in this playoff mode where maybe not every game was do or die, but we were going into it with the mentality of we have to get three points,” he said.

“I don’t think anyone feels like, ‘Oh, we’re just happy to be here.’”

Quinton’s own future remains uncertain. He confirmed his contract expires at the end of the season, though he intends to focus on the playoffs before considering what comes next.

For now, he has a postseason to prepare for and an award he never anticipated receiving.

“To be chosen is super special and something I’ll have with me forever.”