Brisbane Roar have officially confirmed the departure of club captain Tom Aldred, bringing an end to the Englishman’s five year spell in Queensland.
Having joined the Roar in 2019, Aldred was immediately given the armband ahead of his debut season in the Isuzu UTE A-League and would eventually go on to play 116 matches during his time with the club.
Just the sixth captain in Brisbane’s history, Aldred soon established himself as a fan favourite with the Roar faithful and as such, the Englishman penned a heartwarming farewell to those who supported him during his time at the club.
“I want to thank you all for your support over the past five years,” said Aldred, in an open letter to the fans. “it has been a privilege and honour to lead this great club.
“It has been the most incredible journey of my life. From moving from the other side of the world, to becoming the first ever foreign captain and playing over 100 A-League games, becoming an Australian citizen, and most importantly representing Brisbane and Queensland with pride.
He continued: “To all the players and staff I have worked with in my time, thank you. I have always felt I have had your backing and support as a leader. For the younger players, I hope I have been able to impact you in some way to help further your career moving forward.
“It is now time for me to move on and continue my footballing journey. I leave as a proud Australian citizen and a Brisbane Roar fan. I wish the team and the club all the best in the future and look forward to watching the games next season.”
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A stalwart at the back, Aldred leaves big boots to fill in the heart of the Brisbane defence having established himself as one of the competition’s most-feared central defenders however Roar head coach Ruben Zadkovich has already made moves to replace his skipper.
Prior to the announcement of their captain’s exit the club announced the signing of Olyroos defender Hosine Bility on a season-long loan from Portuguese side Clube Desportivo de Mafra.
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In addition to the signing of Bility, Brisbane fans can certainly expect to see a revamped backline for Brisbane in season 2024-25 with the club already confirmed the captures of former Adelaide United defensive duo Ben Warland and Harry Van der Saag.
Furthermore, Zadkovich’s side have also snapped up US youth international defender Marcus Ferkranus on a two-year deal, with the 21-year-old joining from MLS side LA Galaxy.
