The Halifax Wanderers are happy to announce the signing of Halifax midfielder Scott Firth to a new one year contract with a club option for 2022 and 2023.
Firth, 20, extends his time with the Wanderers after playing with the Club for the last two seasons. Entering 2021, Firth has earned a multi-year extension with the Wanderers and is looking forward to playing once again in front of his friends and family.
“I feel the city behind me as well being a local, so I just can’t wait to play in front of them again”, explains Firth. “I’m hoping soon enough we can all return home.”
This has been an exciting week for Canadian soccer following the announcement of The Kickoff – the Canadian Premier League 2021 season’s opening stanza set to start June 26 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It’s now great to see another local player that will be travelling with the team and representing Halifax.
“We’re always pleased when we can sign and retain a local, high calibre player in our squad,” said Matt Fegan, VP Football Operations. “Scott understands what it means to be Nova Scotian. He is a local young man representing thousands of fellow Haligonians on the pitch and has benefited from the great youth club development systems around us.
“Not only is this contract extension a reward for Scott’s hard work and talents, but it continues to show our commitment to giving players from this region a chance to establish themselves on a professional level.
“I’m certain this story can inspire young players sitting in the stands at the Wanderers Grounds that they too can go all the way with the same grit and determination as Scott has shown.”
Firth is now the 20th player officially added to the Wanderers roster for the 2021 season. Joining other local players Christian Oxner and Kieran Baskett, fans can expect to feel a sense of pride the next time we gather to watch a game at the Wanderers Grounds.
Scott spoke with Wanderers Brand Manager Dylan Lawrence to chat about his new contract, what it means to represent your hometown and more.
Dylan Lawrence: You’ve known Stephen Hart for a while. What’s that been like and what has it meant for your soccer career?
SF: It’s been really good. I don’t know when he first saw me but I remember being in small sessions with him coaching and that’s when I had my first interaction with him where I saw how good of a coach he was. There was then the Düsseldorf game which was probably the first moment he asked me to play for him and I think that’s where it started. From there on it’s been about discussing what needs to be done to move forward, what the next steps are – he’s really good at providing me with the information I need to get to the next level.
DL: I know you’re involved with coaching yourself. Did having Stephen as a coach in your life inspire you to coach the next generation?
SF: Yeah he definitely influenced me when I was younger – a very experienced coach like him opened my eyes to what is possible. Coaches like him come in and they just show you more than you’re used to. It’s a really good feeling. So going into coaching myself, I think it’s important to give kids something fresh, something new to work towards and hopefully they can get something out of it.
DL: Soccer is definitely growing in the country and in the province. What are you hoping to see from the soccer culture here in Halifax and where it’s going?
SF: I think it’s great – we can see that these up and coming players now have a goal that they can actually see, watch, feel and be a part of the atmosphere now that we have a professional team here. They’ll want to be the next player on that field – before their options were far away, but now so many kids know about the Wanderers and it really gives them the ability to say ‘hey, that could be someday so if I work extra hard in these sessions so I can get there.’
DL: Really good time for soccer right now with the Euros starting this weekend. Any predictions from you?
SF: Ah, really – no. Nothing from me on that. I’m awful at predicting anything – whatever I say goes wrong so I’m not going to make any guesses.
DL: Fair enough. In terms of the caliber of players we’ll get to see at the Euros, is there a particular player that you looked up to growing up and tried to emulate in your game?
SF: Coach would always tell me to watch videos of Pirlo – although he’s not playing anymore – that style of a player is what I try to emulate. Not a midfielder that gets too high up the pitch offensively – defensively working hard to get up and down the pitch, but making sure to complete the passes the team needs and learn to control the flow of the game. More recently I’ve looked more at a player like Matic (also unfortunately won’t be at the Euros as he is Serbian), someone who can stick in a strong challenge and also control the game offensively.
DL: Being a player who grew up in this community, what does it mean to you to enter year three where you get to represent your city?
It’s great – the city is amazing and always behind us. I feel the city behind me as well as being a local, so I just can’t wait to play in front of them again – hoping soon enough we can all return home. The goal is to have fans in the stands and get the supporters section going again. I just can’t wait to see the fans back at the Wanderers Grounds – the fans love us and we love them right back.
2021 Season Ticket Memberships are available online. Members will receive additional benefits in 2021 including 50% off a jersey for every season seat purchased, 20% off the Wanderers Fan Shop and more!