The Thistle Archive

The son of ex-Jags ‘keeper Kevin Budinauckas, Lewis is a former Scotland Under 21s international and, in October 2024, featured in the European Championship qualifiers against Belgium and Kazakhstan. He joined the Rangers Academy in his school days and became part of the Rangers B set up in the close season of 2020. He had loan spells at Civil Service Strollers and Raith Rovers before he started featuring regularly for the Rangers B team in 2022/23. In September 2023, he took the opportunity to go out on loan to Stranraer where he played 33 times and kept 9 clean-sheets as the Stair Park side maintained their SPFL status. In the autumn of 2024 he got some championship experience as an emergency loanee for Greenock Morton, featuring on 4 occasions.

In February 2025, Brian Graham brought the 22-year-old Lewis to Firhill on a 3 month loan deal. Two days later, Lewis showed up well when he made his debut in a 1-1 league draw at home to Airdrie and, in the process, Kevin and Lewis Budinauckas became the 13th father and son pairing in Partick Thistle's first team story. 4 consecutive clean-sheets in March was a highlight of his loan spell, but David Mitchell regained his place before the season was through. In the close season of 2025, Lewis tied himself to Firhill, signing a permanent one-year contract, with the option of a further 12 months in place.