Coach Steve Nicol has established the Revolution as one of Major League Soccer's most consistently successful teams, with eight straight play-off appearances to prove it.

But much of the continuity that has been a key to the Revolution formula has been disrupted by defections, injuries, and trades.

The starting line-up for the season opener, a 1-0 loss at Los Angeles last Saturday, included only one player – 21-year-old Sainey Nyassi – from the 2007 MLS Cup roster.

And that line-up will likely start when the Revolution visit DC United tonight.

But the Revolution have brought back a veteran from their run of three successive finals – left winger Khano Smith, who rejoined the team in time to perform as a last-minute substitute against the Galaxy.

That was Smith's 98th Revolution appearance and his first since October 25, 2008.

Smith performed in a key role for the Revolution on the way to the 2005 MLS Cup, scoring the deciding goal against New York in the first round of the play-offs.

He helped launch Taylor Twellman on the way to the Revolution's goal in the '06 final. His speed on the left wing disrupted defences as part of the five-man midfield formula that sent the Revolution to the '07 final, and he was on the field at the end when the Revolution won the '07 US Open Cup and '08 SuperLiga.

Smith's final act as a Revolution player in '08, though, cost him a suspension. He was red-carded for a tackle on Kansas City's Herculez Gomez in what appeared to be payback for a tackle that injured former Revolution captain Steve Ralston, and then departed in the expansion draft.

After a season of stops on the West Coast (Seattle), East Coast (New York), and England (Lincoln City), Smith was without a club when he decided to return to Boston to hang out with former team-mates such as Shalrie Joseph.

Nicol invited him to practise with the Revolution, and Smith, after clashing with coaches in New York (Juan Carlos Osorio) and Lincoln City (Chris Sutton), immediately felt he was where he belonged.

"I love Boston, I always came back when I was in New York, anyway,'' said Smith, who was an unused substitute in Revs' 2-0 win over DC United on Sunday.

"I have tons of people I know here, so it's good to be back. We have probably (six) players still here from when we went to the finals. A lot has changed but Stevie's still here and he does the same stuff, same drills, basically the system is the same. So, it doesn't matter who is here.''

Smith, 28, has spent half his life in the United States, moving to a Maine prep school from Bermuda and remaining to play for Lees-McRae College in North Carolina. Smith was passed over by MLS scouts but impressed Nicol during the Revolution's pre-season trip to Bermuda in 2005. Though he had earned a place as a starter on the Revolution, Smith was made available for the expansion draft and chosen by Seattle after the '08 season, then acquired by New York in a trade with the Sounders.

"I left on good terms when I did leave in the expansion draft,'' Smith said. "I think they knew that I had a European passport and I had that option. Seattle, I was there for a month and that was fine. I preferred to be on the East Coast. But New York was just a disaster. I guess they made me a scapegoat. But if you look at that team, there was nobody there that was doing anything. So, to single me out like that – I didn't feel like I had much of an opportunity, I only played the first eight games.''

As the Red Bulls slumped to a five-win season, Smith was released.

"Osorio left three weeks later, so I felt if somebody else came I would be all right,'' Smith said. "I got along well with (interim coach) Richie Williams, so I think he would have given me a chance again, so I was a little disappointed. That just gives me motivation to get back.''

Smith then joined Lincoln City in England's League Two.

"That one started off well, as well,'' Smith said. "But in that division they just want results quickly.

"People can say what they want about American soccer, but at least we try to play a little bit. (At Lincoln City) it was just lumping it forward. (Sutton) would just say get it forward as quick as possible, he would get upset if you tried to make a square pass or backwards pass, and I don't know how to play football like that.''

Smith could help the Revolution revert to the 3-5-2 formation that enabled them to have their greatest success.

"Until Khano came back I didn't think we had the personnel to play five,'' Nicol said. "It's always nice to have an option. He had four good years here, and I think if you look at a lot of the big moments we've had here he's involved in them, with either crosses or goals. I'm kind of surprised he didn't stick with anybody else.''

Joseph (hip flexor) is listed as questionable but did not travel with the team. "I'm guessing next week is an absolute certainty,'' Nicol said of Joseph . . . Defender Darrius Barnes (hip flexor) will be available . . . Nicol on DC United's 4-0 loss at Kansas City: "That field (CommunityAmerica Ballpark), I'm shocked there's not 5-4 scores and 4-3 scores there. Because it's such a small field and so many balls bouncing around the goal area, that things are going to happen. The conditions were atrocious.''