Photo: Mark Avellino
The Oakleigh Cannons have confirmed the acquisition of former Melbourne Knights midfielder Shayan Alinejad on a two-year deal.
The attacking winger’s senior career began in the state’s third tier as a 17 year-old with Doncaster Rovers in 2007, spending three seasons at Anderson Park.
A move to fellow State League Two outfit Knox City followed at the turn of the decade before ultimately joining the Melbourne Knights in 2011. Alinejad spent the next four years of his career at Knights Stadium, helping the former NSL power win the 2014 Dockerty Cup and scoring nine goals in 70 league appearances.
A move back to the State Leagues followed in 2015 with the winger joining defeated Cup finalists South Springvale, helping Aris reach the last eight of the cup competition before losing to Oakleigh.
He was back in the NPL in time for the 2016 campaign by joining Dominic Barba’s promoted Bulleen side and made 13 appearances for the Lions before departing mid-season.
His next move saw him return to the club where he made his name at with Alinejad re-joining the Knights and adding another seven appearances under Andrew Marth.
A talented futsal player, the 25 year-old becomes the sixth signing of the summer for the Cannons who will be looking to better last season’s fourth place league finish with Oakleigh ultimately losing the Grand Final 3-2 to South Melbourne.
He joins former Dandenong Thunder Championship-winners Iqi Jawadi and Nate Foster, ex-Melbourne City youth attackers Giuseppe Marafioti and Mehdi Sarwari as well as former South Melbourne and Bentleigh defender Tom Matthews as new arrivals at Jack Edwards Reserve.
The Cannons kick-off their 2017 season with an opening home game against local rivals Kingston City in the season-opening fixture on Thursday week.