Western United FC has taken advantage of its connection with Ballarat, signing three players from Ballarat City to be part of the club's inaugural NPL3 squad.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Alex Baker, Leighton Lauton and Jalil Regague were all named in the 29-player squad released last week.
Western United will field teams in the NPL3 seniors and under-21 competitions with the season set to get underway from Sunday, March 21.
The senior team will serve as the club's second team featuring under-23 players while the under-21 team will include the team's youngest signings.
IN OTHER NEWS:
All three players have spent the preseason training alongside United's A-League squad which includes players such as four-time champion Besart Berisha and Italian international Alessandro Diamanti.
NPL coach Ante Moric said the attitude from all three players had been 'top class'.
"They're three boys that are really keen on getting better, they listen and they're getting better everyday," he said.
"They take our messages on and that's what you want to see from these young kids. You want them to improve."
Moric said the signings solidify the club's connection to western Victoria.
"What we wanted here at this club was to create a pathway for all of the west and Ballarat has such a diverse community and they're doing things well," he said.
"We want to better these young boys. The clubs they started with have given them great opportunities and now we're the next port of call. There's good quality all around the west and we want to give these kids the opportunity."
Baker said it was 'unbelievable' to be able to play for a club representing western Victoria.
"Training with the first team for the last few months, being around those players on the pitch and at training, the quality they bring is really good to learn off," he said.
"Coming in and trialling was a big deal for me and I was just buzzing to be here at the club, even if I was there for a few weeks, I was just excited to be there. To be picked in the NPL squad was massive and a great achievement for me."
Lauton said his first taste of a professional footballing environment felt just like what he had dreamt of for years.
"Training with the first team was unreal. It's a different level. All the players are so sharp and always want to win. They're really competitive," he said.
Regague said he had noticed a significant improvement in his on-field performance since training with Western United.
"I've noticed personally when I'm on the pitch that i'm trying to mirror what they're doing and use the players and coaches' tips to improve myself and better myself," he said.
If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to The Courier, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling Ballarat's story. We appreciate your support of journalism in our great city.