Chris Baird

Chris Baird played for Fulham as both a midfielder and defender from 2007 until 2013, and again in 2016. Signed in the summer transfer window of 2007 by Lawrie Sanchez, he was a versatile player who could play anywhere in the back line. He was also an accomplished international footballer for Northern Ireland, earning 79 caps over a thirteen year period.

Before Fulham
Starting his career at Ballymena United, he was signed by Southampton as a 16 year-old in 1998. He progressed through the academy ranks and signed his first professional contract in 2001. He made his first team debut on 22 March 2003, and after only three appearances in the Premier League, went on to start in the 2003 FA Cup Final against Arsenal in which Southampton lost by a goal to nil.

After loan spells at Walsall and Watford, Chris considered leaving the club in 2004 before he signed a new contract with the club. Despite this, he did not make a single appearance for the first team in 2004-05 as Southampton were relegated to the Championship.

He was in and out of the squad during the 2005-06 season, before becoming a mainstay in the heart of the defence the following season, and won Southampton's Player of the Season award.

Fulham (2007-2013 & 2016)
Chris was signed by Fulham on 12 July 2007 for a fee of just over £3 million after an initial bid of £2.5 million was previously rejected.

Although not immediately taken by the Fulham fans during his first season with the club, Chris earned praise the following season under Roy Hodgson and became an important part of both the qualification for the Europa League via League placing in 2008-09, and then helping them reach the Final in 2009-10.

Not known for his goalscoring exploits, Chris scored his first goal for Fulham on 28 December 2010 in the 4th minute of the match during a 2-0 win away at Stoke City with a fantastic strike from outside the box. Bizarrely, only 6 minutes later his second goal for the club came as he fired in a free kick from a similar distance. This match gave him the affectionate nickname of Bairdinho by the Fulham fans.

After drifting in and out of the team throughout 2012-13, he was allowed to leave thde following season, though returned to the club at the tailend of the 2015-16 season on loan from Derby County to help Fulham who were languishing near the bottom of the Championship table at the time.