Photo: Mark Avellino
Kingston City have made South Melbourne midfielder Chris Irwin their fourth signing of the off-season as Nick Tolios strengthen his senior squad ahead of the upcoming campaign.
The 22-year-old ends an 18 month spell at Lakeside Stadium which saw him help the club win the 2015 NPL Premiership before helping Chris Taylor’s men win this year’s NPL Championship following a 3-2 Grand Final win over the Oakleigh Cannons.
A versatile midfielder, who spent his juniors at South Melbourne and VCL outfit Central City, Irwin featured for the Bentleigh Greens Under 21’s side in 2012 under Greg Kassidas.
He then moved to Box Hill the following season and earned his first taste of senior football under Arthur Georgiou in State League One.
Further game time followed in 2014 with Irwin being one of the key players in United’s unsuccessful promotion bid as his side finished the season in third place behind promoted outfits Avondale and the North Geelong Warriors respectively.
He departed Wembley Park soon afterwards having made 41 league appearances in that time, scoring four goals as a switch to Avondale followed.
An impressive start to life at Doyle Street Reserve followed with Irwin scoring the club’s maiden goal in the top flight on debut in a 3-1 defeat to the Melbourne Knights on opening night of the 2015 season.
A further strike in an away win to Northcote eventuated before departing the club mid-season for South Melbourne after making 13 league appearances under Anthony Barbieri.
He made his debut for Hellas as a first-half substitute in a 2-0 away defeat to the Oakleigh Cannons and in total made 29 appearances for the Oceania Club of the Century, scoring one goal.
His move to The Grange Reserve stems from a desire to play more minutes with his time at Lakeside restricted to mainly substitute appearances off the bench.
Kingston manager Nick Tolios was delighted with the coup and is excited about the quality Irwin brings to the existing playing squad.
“Chris is a great player who brings a lot of quality, versatility and experience to our dressing room given he’s spent the past year and a bit at one of the best teams in the competition.”
“He is keen to take his game to the next level and sees us as a platform to further that aim. I’m excited by what lies ahead as I must admit, I was impressed with his attitude towards his football.”
Irwin joins former Dandenong Thunder pair Daniel Bennett and Faisal Sakhizada as well as ex-Bentleigh and Bulleen full-back Nathan Tidmarsh as new signings for City.