Alex Cairns

Last updated

Alex Cairns
Personal information
Full name Alex Thomas Cairns [1]
Date of birth (1993-01-04) 4 January 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth Doncaster, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) [2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Leeds United
Number 21
Youth career
0000–2011 Leeds United
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2011–2015 Leeds United 1 (0)
2012Barrow (loan) 0 (0)
2012–2013Stalybridge Celtic (loan) 38 (0)
2015–2016 Chesterfield 0 (0)
2016 Rotherham United 0 (0)
2016–2023 Fleetwood Town 209 (0)
2022Hartlepool United (loan) 0 (0)
2023Salford City (loan) 23 (0)
2023–2024 Salford City 46 (0)
2024– Leeds United 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:41, 27 April 2024 (UTC)

Alex Thomas Cairns (born 4 January 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL Championship club Leeds United.

Contents

Club career

Breaking through

Cairns began his career in the Leeds United youth academy and turned professional with the club at the end of the 2010–11 season by signing a one-year contract along with fellow youth players and twins Nathan and Lewis Turner. [3] The following season would see Cairns join the senior team as cover for Paul Rachubka after first choice goalkeeper Andy Lonergan sustained a finger injury. Rachubka's time in the side was marked by a series of errors; three of which would come in the first half of a league match against his former club Blackpool. With Leeds 3–0 down at half time, Cairns replaced him for the second half, conceding twice as Blackpool won 5–0. [4]

Following the Blackpool game, manager Simon Grayson expressed his doubts as to whether Cairns was ready to take on the responsibility of starting in the first-team for the remaining period of Lonergan's absence. [5] Prior to the next match against Leicester City, Grayson brought in young Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy on an emergency loan. [6] Nevertheless, Cairns was promoted ahead of Rachubka and retained his position on the bench for the following weeks until Grayson signed veteran goalkeeper Maik Taylor on a short-term basis to act as cover. [7] [8]

Cairns signed a new two-year deal at the club on 19 January. [9] At the end of the January transfer window, Cairns joined Conference National side Barrow on a one-month loan. [10] Cairns failed to play a game for Barrow after being an unused substitute in several games and returned to Leeds on 2 March after his loan at Barrow expired. [11] He made no further appearances in the first-team squad at Leeds for the remainder of the season as new manager Neil Warnock favoured five outfield players on the bench.

Stalybridge Celtic loan

After falling down the pecking order at Leeds following the signings of two new goalkeepers, Cairns joined Conference North side Stalybridge Celtic on a month-long loan after first-choice goalkeeper Andy Ralph suffered a suspected broken leg in the Badgers' opening game of the season. [12] He made his debut for the club at their Bower Field ground in a 1–1 draw against Gainsborough Trinity and kept his first clean sheet later that week in a 0–0 stalemate against Droylsden. [13] [14] He featured for Celtic in a 2–1 friendly victory over a Manchester United XI which included Darren Fletcher and Alexander Büttner on 11 September. He remained an ever-present for the club since arriving until he was substituted in an early-round FA Cup match on 22 September versus Vauxhall Motors after sustaining a dead-leg following a collision with an opposing player. [15] His loan spell was extended until the end of November during which he reached the final qualifying round of the FA Cup with the Badgers before succumbing to Conference National side Stockport County in a 3–5 defeat at Edgeley Park. [16]

At Stalybridge Celtic's end of season awards on 27 April 2013, Cairns won the Player of the Year, Players' Player of the Year and Supporters' Player of the Year awards. [17]

Return to Leeds United

After an injury to Jamie Ashdown for the final home game of the season, Cairns was recalled to Leeds on 26 April 2013, and was named on the bench against Brighton & Hove Albion on 27 April.

Following an injury to Jamie Ashdown during the following pre-season, Cairns was promoted to second choice goalkeeper, providing backup for Paddy Kenny and then loan goalkeeper Jack Butland. He remained the second choice at Leeds even after Kenny's return from injury. [18] On 16 May 2014, Cairns extended his contract with Leeds by a further year.

On 13 May 2015, Cairns was released by Leeds United after his contract expired. [19] [20]

Chesterfield

On 29 July 2015, Cairns signed a six-month contract at Chesterfield. [21] He left the club on 7 January 2016 after his contract expired, having made no appearances. [22]

Rotherham United

The day after his release from Chesterfield, Cairns signed a contract with Rotherham United until the end of the season. The move reunited him with Rotherham manager Neil Redfearn, who had previously been his academy manager at Leeds United. [23]

Fleetwood Town

In July 2016, Cairns signed for League One club Fleetwood Town, where he went on to establish himself in the first team. [24] He played a total of 81 games in his first two seasons at the club, keeping 34 clean sheets. [25] On 26 November 2022, Cairns joined League Two side Hartlepool United on a seven-day emergency loan deal. [26] On 4 January 2023, Cairns joined League Two side Salford City on loan for the remainder of the 2022–23 season. [27]

Salford City

On 23 June 2023, Cairns signed a permanent deal with Salford City. [28]

Leeds United

On 8 July 2024, Cairns rejoined Leeds United on a permanent deal. [29]

Personal life

In November 2014, Cairns' 16-year-old brother Blake was killed in a two car collision in Conisbrough alongside four other teenagers, three of whom attended Danum Academy Sixth Form with the other having previously attended the Sixth Form. His funeral was attended by Cairns and several members of the Leeds first-team squad. [30]

Career statistics

As of 27 April 2024 [31]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeague FA Cup League Cup OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Leeds United 2011–12 [32] Championship 10000010
2012–13 [33] Championship00000000
2013–14 [34] Championship00000000
2014–15 [35] Championship00000000
Total1000000010
Barrow (loan) 2011–12 [32] Conference National 00000000
Stalybridge Celtic (loan) 2012–13 [36] Conference North 380301 [lower-alpha 1] 0420
Chesterfield 2015–16 [37] League One 0000000000
Rotherham United 2015–16 [37] Championship0000
Fleetwood Town 2016–17 [38] League One30050003 [lower-alpha 2] 0380
2017–18 [39] League One38020102 [lower-alpha 3] 0430
2018–19 [40] League One460301000500
2019–20 [41] League One25010105 [lower-alpha 4] 0320
2020–21 [42] League One28000302 [lower-alpha 3] 0330
2021–22 [43] League One420101000440
2022–23 [44] League One000000
Total2090120701202400
Hartlepool United (loan) 2022–23 [44] League Two 001010
Salford City (loan) 2022–23 [44] League Two23030260
Salford City 2023–24 [45] League Two460203000510
Leeds United 2024–25 [46] Championship0000000000
Total31701801001603610
  1. Appearance in FA Trophy
  2. One appearance in EFL Trophy and two in League One play-offs
  3. 1 2 Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
  4. Three appearances in EFL Trophy and two in League One play-offs

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References

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  25. "Our new number one: Alex Cairns" . Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  26. "Pools Sign Alex Cairns". Hartlepool United FC. 26 November 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  27. "Loan agreed for goalkeeper Alex Cairns". Salford City FC. 4 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  28. "Alex Cairns: Salford City sign goalkeeper from Fleetwood Town following loan spell". BBC Sport. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
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  31. Alex Cairns at Soccerbase
  32. 1 2 "Games played by Alex Cairns in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  33. "Games played by Alex Cairns in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  34. "Games played by Alex Cairns in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  35. "Games played by Alex Cairns in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  36. Alex Cairns at Soccerway. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  37. 1 2 "Games played by Alex Cairns in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  38. "Games played by Alex Cairns in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  39. "Games played by Alex Cairns in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  40. "Games played by Alex Cairns in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  41. "Games played by Alex Cairns in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  42. "Games played by Alex Cairns in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  43. "Games played by Alex Cairns in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  44. 1 2 3 "Games played by Alex Cairns in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  45. "Games played by Alex Cairns in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  46. "Games played by Alex Cairns in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2024.