Fraser Aird

Fraser Aird (born 2 February 1995) is a Canadian professional footballer who plays as a winger for FC Edmonton. Aird has also played for the Canadian national team.

Fraser Aird
Aird celebrating a goal for Rangers in 2014
Personal information
Date of birth (1995-02-02) 2 February 1995
Place of birth Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Winger
Club information
Current team
 FC Edmonton
Youth career
North Scarborough
2011–2012 Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2017 Rangers 62 (9)
2016 → Vancouver Whitecaps FC (loan) 18 (0)
2017 Falkirk 12 (1)
2017–2018 Dunfermline Athletic 21 (4)
2018–2019 Dundee United 19 (3)
2018–2019 → Queen of the South (loan) 6 (0)
2019 Cove Rangers 9 (3)
2020 Valour FC 6 (1)
2021– FC Edmonton 0 (0)
National team‡
2010 Canada U15 1 (0)
2011–2012 Scotland U17 8 (2)
2013 Scotland U19 2 (2)
2015– Canada 8 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 September 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 8 October 2017

Early life

Aird is a boyhood fan of his former club Rangers due to his Scottish, Rangers-supporting parents emigrating to Canada in 1987.[1][2][3]

Club career

Rangers

Aird signed as a youth for Rangers at the age of sixteen.[1] Within a year at the club he worked his way from the under-17 squad to the under-19 squad, eventually making his first team debut during a 4–1 victory over Montrose in the Scottish Third Division on 23 September 2012.[4] Aird was incorrectly listed as the goalkeeper by many media sources during a match against Elgin City in December 2012 when it was actually Neil Alexander.[5][6] He scored his first goal for the club versus Queens Park at Hampden Park on 29 December 2012.[7]

In his first competitive match of the 2013–14 season he scored the first goal for Rangers as a half-time substitute against Forfar Athletic in the League Cup, Rangers went on to lose 2–1. On 3 May 2014, after a 1–1 draw with Dunfermline Athletic, Aird was among the Rangers players who made history by becoming the first Rangers side in 115 years to go an entire league season unbeaten, during which they clinched the Scottish League One Championship.[8]

Vancouver Whitecaps FC (loan spell)

Aird joined Major League Soccer club Vancouver Whitecaps FC on a season-long loan on 29 January 2016.[9][10] He made his debut against Montreal Impact on 7 March 2016.[11]

Falkirk

On 18 January 2017, Aird signed for Falkirk of the Scottish Championship until the end of the end of the season after mutually agreeing to terminate his contract with Rangers."[12] He made his debut for Falkirk in a 2–0 defeat to Greenock Morton in the Scottish Cup. His first goal came against Ayr United in a 4–1 win on 11 March 2017. At the end of his contract in May 2017, Aird was released by the club.[13]

Dunfermline Athletic

Aird signed a one-year deal with Dunfermline Athletic on 3 August 2017, with the option of a further year.[14]

Dundee United

On 1 June 2018, Aird signed a two-year contract with Dundee United. On 2 September 2019 he left Dundee United by mutual consent.[15]

Queen of the South (loan spell)

On 31 January 2019, Aird was sent out on loan to Dumfries club Queen of the South until 31 May 2019.[16]

Cove Rangers

On 26 September 2019, Aird signed for Aberdeen club Cove Rangers until January 2020.[17] He left the club shortly before the expiry of his contract after he was pictured gesturing towards opposition fans while supporting Rangers in an Old Firm match.[18]

Valour FC

Aird joined Valour FC of the Canadian Premier League on 24 January 2020.[19] He made his debut for Valour on 16 August in a 2–0 loss to Cavalry FC. Aird scored his first goal for Valour in the following game against Atlético Ottawa, netting a penalty on 19 August.[20]

FC Edmonton

On 24 December 2020, Aird signed with FC Edmonton.[21]

International career

Aird was part of a Canadian under-15 camp in 2010 and played in a friendly against the US the same year.[22] After moving to Scotland, the country of his parents birth, Aird made his debut for Scotland at under-17 level in a friendly international tournament in August 2011. In 2012, he made his debut in a UEFA competition for Scotland featuring in the UEFA Under 17 Championship qualifying campaign against Macedonia. In his final under-17 game, he scored against Denmark.[23]

Aird was named in the preliminary Canadian national team squad for the 2013 Gold Cup in the US,[24] however he turned down a call up to the final squad[22] and later in the same year represented Scotland under-19's. Aird played twice for Scotland under-19 in friendlies scoring in 4–2 victory over Switzerland.[25][26]

In April 2014 it was reported that Aird was set to pledge his international allegiance to Canada and join the senior squad for friendlies against Bulgaria and Moldova in Austria the following month, a claim the player later refuted on his personal Twitter account by saying he was still undecided on his future.[27][28] In May 2014 Aird joined a training camp in Florida with the Canadian Under-20 team in preparation for the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, the tournament which will serve as CONCACAF qualification for 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[29]

On 28 September 2015 it was reported on the official Rangers website that Aird had been called up by Canada for an October friendly against Ghana.[30] Aird got his first senior international cap in the match coming on as a second-half substitute for Karl Ouimette in the eventual 1–1 draw on 13 October 2015.[31] Aird scored his first goal for Canada against his ancestral Scotland in a 1–1 draw on 22 March 2017.[32]

Career statistics
As of 5 September 2020[33]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Rangers 2012–13 Scottish Third Division 193201000223
2013–14 Scottish League One 27561113[lower-alpha 1]0377
2014–15 Scottish Championship 13110404[lower-alpha 1]1222
2015–16 3000001[lower-alpha 1]040
2016–17 Scottish Premiership 000000—00
Total 6299161818512
Vancouver Whitecaps FC (loan) 2016 Major League Soccer 1802[lower-alpha 2]0—4[lower-alpha 3]0240
Falkirk 2016–17 Scottish Championship 121100000131
Dunfermline Athletic 2017–18 Scottish Championship 21400004[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 4]0254
Dundee United 2018-19 Scottish Championship 193003000223
Queen of the South (loan) 2018-19 Scottish Championship 6010002090
Cove Rangers 2019-20 Scottish League Two 93100000103
Valour FC 2020 CPL 6100000061
Career total 154211419118119424
  1. Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup
  2. Appearances in the Canadian Championship
  3. Appearances in the CONCACAF Champions League
  4. Appearances in the Scottish Premiership play-offs

International
As of 8 October 2017[34]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Canada 201510
201630
201741
Total81

International goals
Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Aird goal.
List of international goals scored by Fraser Aird
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
122 March 2017Easter Road, Edinburgh, Scotland Scotland1–01–1Friendly

Honours

Rangers

Individual

References
  1. "Scarborough teen signed by Scottish giant Rangers FC". Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario: Star Media Group. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  2. "Family pride at stake for Rangers' starlet Fraser Aird as dad flies in". The Scotsman. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  3. Steckham, Rebecca (20 October 2012). "Born to be a Ranger". Toronto Observer. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  4. "Scarborough teen debuts with Glasgow Rangers". Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario: Star Media Group. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  5. Smith, Neil (22 December 2012). "Elgin City 2–6 Rangers". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  6. Lindsay, Clive (22 December 2012). "Elgin City 2–6 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  7. Murray, Keir (29 December 2012). "Queen's Park 0–1 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC.
  8. Wilson, Richard (4 May 2014). "Rangers' title march earned through grinding out victories". BBC Sport. BBC.
  9. "Fraser Aird joins Vancouver Whitecaps on loan". BBC Sport. BBC. 29 January 2016.
  10. "Whitecaps FC acquire Canadian international Fraser Aird on season-long loan with transfer option from Rangers FC". Whitecapsfc.com. Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club. 29 January 2015.
  11. "Whitecaps' Aird learning and improving on the job - Sportsnet.ca". www.sportsnet.ca.
  12. "Fraser Aird: Midfielder leaves Rangers to join Falkirk". BBC Sport. BBC. 18 January 2017.
  13. "End of season update". Falkirk FC. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  14. Mackenzie, Alasdair (3 August 2017). "Former Rangers and Falkirk midfielder signs for Dunfermline". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  15. "Dundee United: Craig Curran and Fraser Aird join club's promotion push". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  16. "QosFC: Fraser Aird". www.qosfc.com.
  17. Law, Callum. "New boy Aird grateful for Cove opportunity".
  18. "Fraser Aird: Winger sorry for 'thoughtless' derby gesture after leaving Cove Rangers". 30 December 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  19. "Valour inks ex-Glasgow Rangers winger Fraser Aird". 24 January 2020.
  20. O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (19 August 2020). "Second-half onslaught lifts Valour FC over 10-men Atlético Ottawa".
  21. Marty Thompson (24 December 2020). "Canadian international Fraser Aird signs with FC Edmonton, departs Valour FC". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  22. "Aird gets his foot in Canadian soccer door - Sportsnet.ca".
  23. "Fraser Aird – Scotland U17 profile". ScottishFA.co.uk. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  24. "Canada announces preliminary roster for Gold Cup" (Press release). Canada Soccer. 31 May 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  25. "Fraser Aird – Scotland U19 profile". ScottishFA.co.uk. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  26. Jack, Chris (19 July 2013). "Decision time for Gers kid Fraser Aird as Scotland tussle with Canada". Evening Times. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  27. "Rumour Mill: Fraser Forster | Rangers | World Cup". The Scotsman. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  28. "Fraser Aird tweet". Twitter. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  29. "Canada M20 setting sights on 2015". Canada Soccer Association. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  30. "Livingston Game Postponed". 28 September 2015. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015.
  31. "Canada MNT deliver impressive performance in Ghana draw". Canada Soccer. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  32. "Steven Naismith rescues Scotland on a miserable night against Canada". 22 March 2017.
  33. Fraser Aird at Soccerway
  34. "Aird, Fraser". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  35. "Rangers celebrate Scottish Third Division title win". BBC Sport. BBC. 30 March 2013.
  36. Wilson, Richard (12 March 2014). "Rangers 3-0 Airdrieonians". BBC Sport. BBC.
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