Theo Bair

Theo Bair

Personal information
Full name	Thelonius Bair
Date of birth	(1999-08-27) August 27, 1999 (age 24)
Place of birth	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Motherwell
Number	14
Youth career
	Ottawa Royals
	Capital United
0000–2015	West Ottawa SC
2015–2018	Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019–2021	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	37	(3)
2021	→ HamKam (loan)	17	(4)
2022–2023	St Johnstone	34	(1)
2023–	Motherwell	33	(13)
International career‡
2018	Canada U20	5	(1)
2018	Canada U21	4	(1)
2021	Canada U23	4	(0)
2020–	Canada	2	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 13, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 28, 2021

Thelonius "Theo" Bair (born August 27, 1999) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Scottish Premiership club Motherwell.

Club career

Youth

Bair started his youth career with Ottawa Royals, before joining Capital United FC and West Ottawa SC before his move to Vancouver. ^[1]

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

On July 24, 2018, Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced that it would be signing Bair to a multi-year MLS homegrown pre-contract beginning in 2019. ^[2] Bair made his Whitecaps FC and MLS debut on matchday 15 of the 2019 MLS season, coming off the bench in the 71st minute in a 2–1 home victory against FC Dallas. ^[3] On August 11 against the Portland Timbers, He scored his first professional goal. ^[4]

On August 6, 2021, Bair was loaned to Norwegian club HamKam for the remainder of the 2021 season. ^[5] In his first appearance on August 18, Bair scored a goal in a 2–0 victory over Jerv. ^[6] Bair would go on to make 17 appearances in the 1. divisjon, scoring 4 goals as HamKam were crowned champions and gained promotion to the 2022 Eliteserien. ^[7] In December 2021, upon his return to Vancouver, the Whitecaps announced they had exercised Bair's contract option, keeping him at the club through 2022. ^[8]

St Johnstone

In January 2022, Bair was transferred to Scottish Premiership club St Johnstone for an undisclosed fee on a contract through the end of the 2023–24 season. ^[9] He made his debut on February 9 against St Mirren. ^[10] Bair scored his first goal for the club against Kilmarnock on October 5, 2022. ^[11] In May 2023, St Johnstone announced Bair would be made available for transfer. ^[12] On 4 July 2023, Bair and St Johnstone mutually agreed to terminate the contract. ^[13]

Motherwell

In August 2023, Motherwell announced the signing of Bair to a two-year contract. ^{[14] [15]} He made his debut on August 5 against Dundee and scored a goal in an eventual 1–1 draw. ^[16]

International career

Youth

Born in Canada, Bair is of Jamaican descent. ^[17] In 2018, he represented Canada at the U21 level at the 2018 Toulon Tournament. ^[18] He subsequently played for the Canadian U20 team at the 2018 CONCACAF U-20 Championship and, scoring a goal and two assists in five appearances. ^[18] Bair was named to the Canadian U-23 provisional roster for the 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship on February 26, 2020, ^[19] and was named to the final squad ahead of the rescheduled tournament on March 10, 2021. ^[20]

Senior

In January 2020, Bair was called up to the Canadian senior team ahead of friendlies against Barbados and Iceland. ^[21] He made his debut on January 7 in the first match against Barbados, and scored a goal in a 4–1 victory. ^[22]

In February 2024, Bair was named to the Canada national soccer team provisional roster for the 2024 Copa América qualifying play-offs against Trinidad and Tobago. ^[23]

Career statistics

Club

As of April 13, 2024 ^[24]

Club	Season	League			Domestic Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Vancouver Whitecaps FC	2019	MLS	17	2	1	0	—		—		18	2
	2020		16	1	—		—		1 [lower-alpha 1]	0	17	1
	2021		4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
	Totals		37	3	1	0	0	0	1	0	39	3
HamKam (loan)	2021	1. divisjon	17	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	17	4
St Johnstone	2021–22	Scottish Premiership	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	0
	2022–23		26	1	1	0	3	0	0	0	30	1
	Totals		33	1	1	0	3	0	0	0	37	1
Motherwell	2023–24	Scottish Premiership	33	13	2	0	1	0	0	0	36	13
Career totals			119	20	4	0	4	0	1	0	128	21

1. Knockout Round of the MLS is Back Tournament.

International

As of January 16, 2020

Canada national team
Year	Apps	Goals
2020	2	1
Total	2	1

Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	January 7, 2020	Championship Soccer Stadium, Irvine, United States	Barbados	4–1	4–1	Friendly

References

1. "Theo Bair Whitecaps FC profile". whitecapsfc.com. Whitecaps FC. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
2. "Whitecaps FC sign residency forward Bair". whitecapsfc.com. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
3. "Whitecaps academy product Theo Bair moved by MLS debut". mlssoccer.com. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
4. Rowan, Samuel (August 11, 2019). "Bair's Wonder Goal Not Enough to Lift Caps Over Timbers". Eighty Six Forever.
5. "Whitecaps FC loan striker Theo Bair to Norwegian club HamKam". Vancouver Whitecaps FC. August 6, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
6. "Bair-show i første forsøk – HamKam imponerte mot Jerv". HA. August 18, 2021.
7. "HamKam vant og sikret opprykket til Eliteserien". Eurosport (in Norwegian). November 6, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
8. "Whitecaps FC announce end of season roster decisions". Vancouver Whitecaps FC. December 2, 2021.
9. "Theo Bair signs for Saints". St Johnstone. January 31, 2022.
10. Gallagher, Matthew (February 9, 2022). "St Mirren 2 St Johnstone 1: Perth Saints slip back to bottom of the Premiership".
11. Nicolson, Eric (October 5, 2022). "4 St Johnstone talking points as Perth side brought back down to earth by Kilmarnock despite Theo Bair strike". The Courier .
12. "Squad Update". May 30, 2023.
13. "Theo Bair mutually agrees to terminate contract". perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk. St Johnstone F.C. July 4, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
14. "THEO BAIR MAKES SWITCH TO ML1". motherwellfc.co.uk. Motherwell F.C. August 1, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
15. Cassidy, Peter (August 1, 2023). "Motherwell confirm signing of Canada striker Theo Bair on two-year-deal". STV News. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
16. "MOTHERWELL KICKED OFF THE 23/24 CINCH PREMIERSHIP CAMPAIGN WITH A 1-1 DRAW AWAY TO DUNDEE". Motherwell . August 5, 2023.
17. "Theo Bair: Young Vancouver Whitecaps forward showing poise, maturity beyond his years as a pro". The Third Sub. July 12, 2020.
18. "Theo Bair". Canada Soccer. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
19. "Canada Soccer announces Provisional List for Concacaf Men's Olympic Qualifying". Canada Soccer. February 26, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
20. "CANADA SOCCER ANNOUNCES SQUAD FOR CONCACAF MEN'S OLYMPIC QUALIFYING". March 10, 2021.
21. Jacques, John (January 3, 2020). "Tristan Borges Called Up To Canada National Team Ahead Of Three Friendlies".
22. "HIGHLIGHTS: CanMNT begins 2020 with a win in friendly vs. Barbados". January 7, 2019.
23. "Concacaf Nations League Play-In preliminary rosters announced". Concacaf.com. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
24. "Theo Bair Profile". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved January 17, 2020.

External links

• Theo Bair at the Canadian Soccer Association
• Theo Bair at Soccerway