Baird shot to prominence at the end of the 2002/3 season when he found himself in the starting line-up of Saints’ first FA Cup final in 27 years after making his full debut just weeks earlier against Aston Villa. He turned in a man-of-the-match performance that day but that was still not enough to cement a regular first-team place.
Before starring in the FA Cup final Baird had made only a handful of appearances for Saints, including a solid performance in the last ever game at Maine Road, where Southampton ran out 1 – 0 winners. Four days earlier Baird came off the bench to steady the ship when Saints were 5-0 down at Arsenal after just 25 minutes. He played a key part in the build-up to Saints’ only goal in what turned out to be a 6-1 defeat.
Born in Ballymena, the Northern Ireland international is predominantly a right-back but can also play in midfield. A gritty, tigerish player who is not afraid to get stuck in, he also possesses a decent cross and has an excellent understanding of the game for a young man.
Baird was a product of Saints much acclaimed youth system and great things were expected of him early on but he struggled to make an impact in the 2001/02 season. His emergence in the 2002/3 campaign suggested that he was regaining some of that early momentum but 2003/04 was a frustrating season for the youngster as he was limited to just one start at home against Arsenal and a handful of appearances from the bench.
However, Baird still made progress on the international front and made his debut for the senior Northern Ireland side in Italy at the end of the 2002/03 campaign and shackled Wayne Rooney in the shock victory over England in a World cup qualifier.
The succession of managerial changes did not help his quest for a break-through at club level until the arrival of George Burley who gave him the run of games he had craved. Baird grabbed the opportunity with both hands and he held his place in the final 10 games of the 2005-06 season to earn a new three-year deal.