The Wellington Phoenix have snapped up a third visa player ahead of their 2026-27 Isuzu UTE A-League campaign.
Scottish midfielder Max Anderson has inked a two-year deal with the Nix, signing until the end of the 2027-28 season.
Anderson, 25, has featured in the top two tiers of Scottish football as well as England’s League One and League Two.
The one-time Scotland U-21 international came through the Dundee FC youth system, making 94 appearances for their first team before spending the last two years at League Two side Crawley Town.
Head coach Chris Greenacre believes Anderson is the ideal fit for the club.
“First and foremost he brings good experience and he’s a good age,” he said.
“He’s a player that wants to improve his best attributes, and is still incredibly ambitious. That’s what we’re looking for in all of our players.
“From the word go he really related to the vision that the club have on and off the field. He bought into what we want to build here.
“He’s been a solid professional, which is what I want, he’s been at some good clubs and he can only add value to our environment.
“It’s an opportunity for him to help lead a group with his experience, help harness some of our younger players while still supporting our senior players and leading that middle part of our dressing room.”
Max Anderson can’t wait to get stuck into his work in Wellington.
“It came up pretty quickly, I spoke with the manager on a call and the minute I spoke with him, he sold the club completely.
“It just suited everything I was about and what I want to be like as a player.
“I’m more a box to box type of midfielder, I try to bring as much drive and energy to the team with work on the ball, off the ball, I try to contribute to the odd goal.”
Anderson is set to be the first ever Scottish player to take the field for the Nix.
“That is really nice. I’ve had some really random things in my career, I scored the EFL’s 600,000th goal, so this adds to the excitement.
“Honestly for me it’s about playing my utmost in every game and trying to earn my right to play in this team.
“I want to drive standards and help the team do as well as they can.”
And a former Phoenix player provided a helping hand.
“I already knew a bit about the club previously, I spoke to (former Phoenix midfielder) Alex Rodriguez about three years ago, and he said nothing but good things about the club, the fanbase and everything.
“It was a real brief chat, he probably wouldn’t even remember it, but I remember it so clearly.
“Even then it sounded amazing, so the minute the interest came I just thought that this is the right thing for me.”
Max Anderson will wear the no. 8 shirt for the Wellington Phoenix and is the 19th men’s player contracted for the upcoming season.
Further squad announcements will be made over the coming weeks in the lead up to the men’s season opener against Melbourne Victory at Hnry Stadium on Sunday, October 18.
