Alex Cairns aims to keep going after 200th Fleetwood Town game

Alex Cairns is not for stopping after reaching another milestone with Fleetwood Town.

The keeper made his 200th appearance during the 1-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night.

Cairns, who has been the first choice keeper for almost all of his time on the Fylde coast, admitted the milestone was one that had sneaked up on him.

The 28-year-old said: “I want to get as many games under my belt as I can do.

“Of course, I would have liked to have got there a lot sooner.

“Other circumstances have led to that but it’s a proud achievement for me and my family. Hopefully there are many more.

“I wasn’t sure it was my 200th game until someone messaged me and said it was.

“Then I was like ‘Oh my God’ and I started looking back, and I’ve got loads and loads of brilliant memories at Fleetwood.

“There are a number of games that stand out. There was Bradford City away, I kept a clean sheet there.

“We played Millwall at home in my first season and I felt like I’d done really well.

“Then there were the two play-off campaigns, which were contrasting play-off years but, for me, there’s been loads of learning in both of them.

“Throughout my 200 games, I probably feel the best I’ve been and that comes from experience.”

Cairns is now using that experience to help the younger crop of Town players who are looking to become first-team regulars at Highbury.

In the face of guiding younger players and Fleetwood’s results so far this season, the shot-stopper is remaining calm.

He said: “I’m realising that I’m more of a senior figure within the group and I’m helping the younger lads realise that it’s a journey.

“It’s not a 100-metre sprint. It’s a marathon, your career.

“You might not get what you want as soon as you want but, eventually, you will get there.

“We’re three games in, so I don’t think anyone can press the panic button.

“When you look at the games and the teams that we’ve come across, I think every team would say we should have some points out of those games whether it be a draw or a win.

“The fact of the matter is that we’re not at that stage at the minute, but the process is clear and I can honestly say I fully believe in this group of players.

“We know, over the course of the season, we will pick up plenty of points.”

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