Alex Thomas Cairns (born 4 January 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL Championship club Leeds United.
[3] The following season would see Cairns join the senior team as cover for Paul Rachubka after first choice goalkeeper Andy Lonergan sustained a finger injury.
[4] Following the Blackpool game, manager Simon Grayson expressed his doubts as to whether Cairns was ready to take on the responsibility of starting in the first-team for the remaining period of Lonergan's absence.
[6] Nevertheless, Cairns was promoted ahead of Rachubka and retained his position on the bench for the following weeks until Grayson signed veteran goalkeeper Maik Taylor on a short-term basis to act as cover.
[12] He made his debut for the club at their Bower Field ground in a 1–1 draw against Gainsborough Trinity and kept his first clean sheet later that week in a 0–0 stalemate against Droylsden.
He remained an ever-present for the club since arriving until he was substituted in an early-round FA Cup match on 22 September versus Vauxhall Motors after sustaining a dead-leg following a collision with an opposing player.
[15] His loan spell was extended until the end of November during which he reached the final qualifying round of the FA Cup with the Badgers before succumbing to Conference National side Stockport County in a 3–5 defeat at Edgeley Park.