Subway Socceroos midfielder Keanu Baccus is thrilled to be heading into next season at a new club after signing a two-year contract with Mansfield Town.
After two years at St Mirren in Scotland, Baccus has moved to the Nigel Clough managed Mansfield Town who gained automatic promotion into League One for the 2024/25 season.
Baccus said it has been a whirlwind first two years playing abroad, and he is excited for that next step at Mansfield Town.
“It's been a big two years for me, the last two years, moving away from home going to Scotland and then working really hard to get that next step, that next move to play in England,” he said.
“I think I've made that very vocal in the last year or so, so it's finally happened, it’s a little tick in the box but now I need to start again.”
He explained the move to Mansfield happened quickly, and he felt welcomed right away.
“I started getting a few calls in and I got invited down to Mansfield and it actually happened relatively quick compared to some rumours I've had in the past,” he said.
“I was very happy with everything; I went down with my girlfriend, and we enjoyed the place and the people, and it felt right at the time.”
For Baccus though, St Mirren will always have a place in his heart as they were the club to give him a chance overseas.
“I’ll always have a bit of a love for St. Mirren, because they gave me that platform to tick off a lot of dreams of mine - to make the national team, a World Cup squad, the Asian Cup, and being selected regularly for the Socceroos,” he said.
“So, I’m very grateful for them and it's definitely made me more physical as a player because that league is very physical. Two years there was great, but I'm so happy to be moving on.”
Looking to the season ahead, Baccus knows the club is built upon a close community, from the fans to the staff, and he just wants to get out there and do his best.
“It's a tight community, and it seems like a family club from the people that I was introduced to,” he said.
“There’s nice facilities at the training ground and that platform to just go and do what I've been doing and keep doing my best and you know, the sky is the limit really.”
The son of the legendary Brian Clough, Nigel was capped 14 times for England as a player, and is now an experienced and reputable manager in the English football leagues.
He wanted to sign Baccus for his recently promoted side, and Baccus is very keen to get started playing under his new manager.
“I met the family, great people, obviously have a massive pedigree in football. It definitely enticed me that I could learn a few things with him as well,” he said.
“He's (Nigel Clough) obviously adamant that he can teach me a few things and I’m still quite young in the game, so I still want to go and learn and improve.”
Ultimately though, this transfer and next step in his career is all part of his dream to hopefully one day play in the Premier League.
He said: “I want to grow and really try my luck in the UK, that’s what I told my family when I left, that I could hopefully be playing in the Premier League one day and I want to keep that dream alive.”