Monday, November 25, 2024

Canterbury defender Ben Stroud signs for Perth after two-year spell in Finland

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Former All Whites manager Danny Hay has signed Christchurch defender Ben Stroud from Western Australia’s Perth SC.

Stroud, 25, played in the National League for the Canterbury Dragons before moving overseas, and most recently captained FC Jazz in Finland’s third tier.

Main photo: Ben Stroud…led Finnish side FC Jazz to promotion last season. Photo courtesy of FC Jazz Social Media.

Stroud, a tall centre-back, joined Perth, who play in Western Australia in Australia’s second tier National Premier League.

Perth is a 26-time state champion, and Hay has led the club’s resurgence since taking over as head coach in 2023.

Read more: Former All Whites coach Danny Hay joins Perth club >>>>

Stroud’s father (Alan) and grandfather (Arthur) both played for New Zealand as goalkeepers.

Ben Stroud: Captain of the Finnish team for two seasons. Photo courtesy of FC Jazz Social Media.

After playing schoolboy football at St Bede’s and youth football at Coastal Spirit and Canterbury United, Stroud went on to play for Wellington United, Cashmere Technical, Central United, Wainuiomata and Western Suburbs.

He earned a football scholarship to Missouri State, an NCAA Division 1 school, and was a key member and leader as a starter all four years.

He signed with Finnish side FC Jazz in 2022 and became first-team captain in his first season, when the club finished fifth.

In 2023, he led the club to second place in the league and won promotion to Ikkonen in the Finnish second division.

Despite being offered a third season, Stroud chose a path closer to home to join Perth SC, becoming one of only two Visa players allowed to sign with an NPL club. became

His move was supported by the Auckland/Sydney-based Lee Fratelli agency.

Watch Ben Stroud interview

Before leaving FC Jazz, Stroud said in an interview about his experience in Finland:

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