The 25-year-old defender has an interesting backstory.

Full name Curran Singh Ferns, he was born in the Northern Territory capital Darwin, his father is a Scouser from Liverpool in England and his mother is from Penang in Malaysia (Curran is related to some of Malaysia’s most well-known politicians in the DAP party).

The player’s family moved to Melbourne where he played his junior soccer in the Victorian capital before catching the eye of the VIS under Ian Greene. There, he played alongside current Victory defender Nick Ansell.

This led to stints at Victory youth under Mehmet Durakovic and Joe Palatsides at Melbourne Heart's NYL side around 2010/11.

But with a senior contract in the A-League seemingly out of reach, and at risk of falling through the cracks, Ferns decided to try his luck in the NPL system across Australia for the following few seasons.

He gained senior experience and confidence. And it opened up an avenue into Asia through his Malaysian connection.

“I had played at Victory youth and with Heart,” Ferns told www.ftbl.com.au in a broad Aussie accent.

"Back then at Heart, we'd have to share our changing rooms with cricketers! A lot has changed since then.

“With Heart my future was unclear and I wanted senior football, so I joined Bentleigh Greens in Melbourne. Great souvlaki and chips after the game as I recall!

"Then I went Hobart Zebras as Tasmania had players coming through to the A-League like Jeremy Walker who was at Heart.

“I had an offer from Woking in England but was playing with Brisbane City then I had a chance to play in Malaysia as my family is from Penang.”

Interestingly Ferns’ Uncle Gobind Singh Deo is now currently the Minister for Communications and Multimedia in Malaysia and Ferns is also related to the late politician and lawyer Karpal Singh.

With his agent Scott Ollerenshaw, a former Malaysian League star striker, Ferns joined JDT in 2015. But injury scuppered his time at the club.

After his injury finally cleared up, Ferns linked with Negeri Sembilan in 2016 when the club had a host of Aussies, subsequently linking up with Felder in 2017, where he stamped his authority on the Malaysian League.

“The Crown Prince of Johor and also my agent Scott were fantastic even after I got injured. I always want to repay their faith in me,” he said.

Ferns' form in Malaysia saw him catch the eye of Indonesian clubs but he earned a move last year to Sukhothai FC in Thailand. He is currently in pre-season ahead of his second season at the Thung Thalay Stadium.

Ferns says he has been incredibly impressed by the standard of the Thai league in this growing powerhouse of football in Asia.

"Technically these players are amazing, very very good," he said. "Great passers, great skills. I'm really impressed.

"Matt Smith [former A-League championship winner with Roar] has done really well here and I reckon in five years time, this league and this nation will be absolutely flying.”

Ferns would not look out of place in the A-League and with expansion on the agenda could potentially find himself back in Australia where it all began as opportunities open up.

However, Ferns has his eye on bigger leagues in Asia with Japan his ultimate goal.

“I really want to play in Japan," he said. "There is a partnership with south-east Asia which says that my passport, which is Malaysian, means I don’t count as a foreigner in Japan.

"It will help me if I go there one day; my dream is to play in the J-League 1. I would also love to play for the Malaysian national team. That is my goal as well."

Having played in Australia, Malaysia, and Thailand, the powerfully built defender has racked up an enormous amount of experience for a 25-year-old.

He added: “You have to graft, you have to graft so hard to make it in this game and take your chance when it comes.

“There's a lot of luck there's a lot of timing but you grow as a person along the journey with what you go through.

“All I want to do is make Scott [Ollerenshaw] proud. He has been behind me all the way and I really appreciate his help and of course the Crown Prince of Johor during my time in Malaysia.

“You’ve got to put in the graft and ride the highs and lows."