Photo: Mark Avellino
St Albans Saints custodian Alex Baird has revealed he will not extend his stay at Churchill Reserve, announcing his departure after one season at the promotion-winning club.
The 22-year-old seeks a fresh challenge in Victorian football having replaced the incumbent Stuart Webster as the first-choice goalkeeper for the 2016 NPL Victoria season – his first in Victorian football – where he impressed heavily as Dinamo finished top of the ladder.
He featured in all but one game for the club and kept seven clean sheets to go along side selection in the NPL2 West Team of the Season.
Baird moved from his hometown of Wollongong to the UK as a sprightly 16-year-old, where he spent two and a half years in the youth system of then English Premier League outfit Newcastle United as well as a short stint with Derby County.
He then secured a senior berth at Scottish Premier League club Dundee FC, where he spent the 2012-13 season honing his trade as the number two, also earning a call-up to the Young Socceroos squad in the process.
A stint with Conference National side Gateshead followed in 2014-15, where the shot-stopper nearly helped his side earn promotion into the Football League, falling short in the play-offs.
The goalkeeper didn’t have to wait too long to taste promotion success, as he contributed heavily to St Albans’ triumphant 2016 season, where they earned top-flight status, finishing three points clear of second placed North Geelong Warriors.
Baird took the time to thank the people at the club that made his season so memorable, and his introduction to Victorian football a smooth one.
“I would like to advise I’ve decided not to re sign at St. Albans for the coming season,” Baird said.
“I would like to thank the players for this last year. It was a great experience and [I’m proud of] everything we achieved this season.
“I’d like to also thank the managers who were there from the start. Zeljko Kuzman, Steve Bebic and Theo Mahilidis and then Kruni Razov and Josip Loncaric who took over and enabled the club to reach promotion, as well as goalkeeper coach Roy Hunter.
“Most importantly I would like to thank the fans of the club who made me very welcome and also the board for giving me the opportunity to come to Melbourne to live.
“I’m certainly looking to play in the NPL again as I’m loving it down here in Melbourne and the competition is terrific.”