Sergei Baltacha (footballer, born 1979)

Sergei Baltacha (born 28 July 1979[2]) is a former footballer. Born in the USSR (now Ukraine), Baltacha represented Scotland at youth international level.

For the Soviet footballer, his father, see Sergei Baltacha (footballer, born 1958).

Sergei Baltacha
Personal information
Full name Sergei Baltacha Jr.
Date of birth (1979-07-28) 28 July 1979
Place of birth Kyiv, Soviet Union
Position(s) Left back
Youth career
Dynamo Kiev
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2003 St Mirren 64 (2)
2003–2004 Millwall 2 (0)
2004–2005 Petershill
International career
1999–2000 Scotland U-21[1] 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

He first played football in the Dynamo Kiev academy,[3] but began his professional career in Scotland, at St Mirren, where he gained 3 caps for the Scotland U-21 side. After a trial at Portsmouth[4] he joined Millwall in January 2003[5] and was released a year later, after which he had an unsuccessful trial with Queen of the South,[5] and St Johnstone before signing with Petershill in 2004. He retired from professional football in 2005/2006.[6]

International career

Baltacha was eligible to play for Russia, Ukraine and under FIFA regulations at the time, the four Home nations as a British passport holder born outside of the United Kingdom with no British parental or grand-parental bloodlines. Baltacha Jr. had moved to the United Kingdom with his father, Sergei Pavlovich Baltacha, when he signed for Ipswich Town and at the age of 11 moved to Scotland when Baltacha Sr. signed for St Johnstone in May 1990.[7] Having acquired a British passport, in 1999, he represented Scotland at U21 level against Lithuania.[8]

Personal life

His father, Sergei, played football for the Soviet Union; his mother, Olga, was a pentathlete; and his sister, Elena, was a former British number one in women's tennis.[9]

References
  1. "Scotland U21 Player Sergei Baltacha Details".
  2. Scottish League Sfaqs
  3. Untitled Document Archived 23 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Pompey eye Scots pair". BBC Sport. 26 September 2002.
  5. Sergei Baltacha Jr - St. Mirren FC - Mirren MAD
  6. "Sergei Baltacha JNR - Infowire - the Pie Shop". Archived from the original on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  7. Haggerty, Anthony (13 September 1999). "Wherever I lay my cap". Daily Record.
  8. Haggerty, Anthony (9 October 1999). "Football: Smith's Side Finish on a Downer". Daily Record.
  9. Piers Newbery (5 May 2014). "Elena Baltacha: A fighter who had plenty more to offer tennis". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
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