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Liam Craig

Liam Craig
Personal information
Date of birth (1986-12-27) 27 December 1986 (age 37)
Place of birth Chirnside, Scotland
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
2000–2002 Berwick Rangers Juniors
2002–2006 Ipswich Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2008 Falkirk 49 (2)
2007–2008 → St Johnstone (loan) 19 (2)
2008–2013 St Johnstone 172 (32)
2013–2015 Hibernian 58 (8)
2015–2022 St Johnstone 172 (19)
Total 470 (63)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:59, 6 August 2021 (UTC)

Liam Craig (born 27 December 1986) is a Scottish former professional footballer. He is an attack-minded creative midfield player who operates on the left side of midfield or in a central position. He has played for Falkirk, St Johnstone and Hibernian during a sixteen-year career. Upon retiring at the end of the 2020–21 season, he became a coach with St Johnstone.

Playing career

Craig began his career at Ipswich Town and skippered the youth side to victory in the 2005 FA Youth Cup final. However, after finding it difficult to break into the first team he joined Falkirk in January 2006.[1]

St Johnstone

Craig moved to St Johnstone on a month's loan in December 2007[2] and scored on his home debut against Livingston. He then signed on loan until the end of the season with the Saints and then signed on a permanent basis in July 2008.[3] A transfer tribunal ruled that Saints would pay Falkirk £25,000 for his services, with a further £12,000 if the club was promoted to the SPL during his time at McDiarmid Park and also 25% of any future transfer received by Saints from another club.[4] Craig made over 200 appearances for St. Johnstone in his first spell.[5] In his last game for St. Johnstone, Craig scored a goal which would help seal third position in the Scottish Premier League and qualification for the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League.[6]

Hibernian

Craig signed a pre-contract agreement with Hibernian in January 2013.[5][7] He scored his first goal for Hibs on 24 August, scoring twice in a 2–1 victory against Kilmarnock.[8] Craig scored his first ever career hat-trick on 24 September, in a 2013–14 Scottish League Cup tie against Stranraer.[9] Craig was appointed Hibs captain in November 2013 by new manager Terry Butcher.[10] Shortly after this, on 2 January 2014, Craig scored the winner in the Edinburgh derby against city rivals Hearts from the penalty spot.[11] Craig was not offered a new contract by Hibs at the end of the 2014–15 season, after they failed to secure promotion from the Scottish Championship.[12]

St Johnstone (second spell)

In July 2015, Craig signed a one-year contract with St Johnstone.[12] On 27 March 2017, he signed a new two-year contract, keeping him at McDiarmid Park until the summer of 2019.[13]

On 29 December 2018, Craig played his 362nd game for St Johnstone and scored in a 2–0 away win over Dundee; This put him second place behind teammate Steven Anderson in the club's all-time appearances list.[14] In the same week, he was also appointed as chairman of the PFA Scotland (players' union) management committee.[15][16]

Craig was one of three St Johnstone players to sign a short-term six-month contract extension in May 2020, as the club formulated plans amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.[17]

Coaching career

He announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2020–21 season, at which point he became a coach with St Johnstone.[18] Craig joined the Arbroath coaching team in November 2023, assisting caretaker manager Stuart Malcolm.[19] Craig then joined Queen's Park in January 2024 as assistant to former St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson.[20] Craig would leave Queen's in June 2024 to become assistant head coach to David Gray at Hibernian.[21][22]

Career statistics

As of 6 August 2021
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Scottish Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Falkirk 2005–06[23] Scottish Premier League 16 0 3 0 0 0 — 19 0
2006–07[24] 27 2 1 1 4 1 — 32 4
2007–08[25] 6 0 0 0 1 0 — 7 0
Total 49 2 4 1 5 1 0 0 58 4
St Johnstone (loan) 2007–08[25] Scottish First Division 19 2 5 2 0 0 0 0 24 4
St Johnstone 2008–09[26] 34 5 1 0 2 1 0 0 37 6
2009–10[27] Scottish Premier League 31 8 1 2 4 0 — 36 10
2010–11[28] 34 5 5 1 2 0 — 41 6
2011–12[29] 36 7 3 0 2 0 — 41 7
2012–13[30] 37 7 2 0 2 1 2[a] 0 43 8
Total 191 34 17 5 12 2 2 0 222 41
Hibernian 2013–14[31] Scottish Premiership 34 6 2 0 2 3 4[b] 0 42 9
2014–15[32] Scottish Championship 24 2 3 1 2 0 3[c] 0 32 3
Total 58 8 5 1 4 3 7 0 74 12
St Johnstone 2015–16[33] Scottish Premiership 35 6 0 0 3 0 0 0 38 6
2016–17[34] 36 5 2 0 6 1 — 44 6
2017–18[35] 27 3 1 0 1 0 2[a] 0 31 3
2018–19[36] 36 2 2 0 5 0 — 43 2
2019–20[37] 15 0 1 0 2 0 — 18 0
2020–21[38] 22 3 3 0 7 0 — 32 3
2021–22[39] 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 172 19 9 0 24 1 2 0 207 20
Career total 470 63 35 7 45 7 11 0 561 77
  1. ^ a b Appearances in the Europa League
  2. ^ Two appearances in the Europa League and two in the Premiership play-offs
  3. ^ One appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup and two in the Premiership play-offs

Honours

Ipswich Town Youth

St Johnstone

References

  1. ^ "Falkirk sign youth, list Glennon". BBC Sport. 17 January 2006. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  2. ^ "St Johnstone seal Craig loan deal". 14 December 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  3. ^ "Falkirk's Craig to stay a Saint". BBC Sport. BBC. 18 April 2008. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
  4. ^ "FEE SET FOR LIAM TRANSFER". St Johnstone FC. 23 October 2008. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  5. ^ a b "St Johnstone's Liam Craig agrees summer switch to Hibernian". BBC Sport. BBC. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  6. ^ Ralston, Gary (20 May 2013). "St Johnstone 2 Motherwell 0: Liam Craig hands Saints the perfect parting gift as goal helps seal Euro spot". Daily Record. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  7. ^ "Transfer Update". hibernianfc.co.uk. Hibernian FC. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  8. ^ "Hibernian: Pat Fenlon reckons Liam Craig is finding form". BBC Sport. BBC. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  9. ^ Gordon, Moira (24 September 2013). "Hibernian 5–3 Stranraer: Liam Craig hat-trick". The Scotsman. Johnston Publishing. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  10. ^ "Football – Craig ready to lead Hibs on". Yahoo! Eurosport. 27 November 2013. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  11. ^ "Hibernian 2-1 Heart of Midlothian". BBC Sport.
  12. ^ a b "St Johnstone: Liam Craig returns to Perth after Hibs exit". BBC Sport. BBC. 16 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  13. ^ "Liam Craig: St Johnstone midfielder signs new contract". BBC Sport. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  14. ^ Campbell, Andy (29 December 2018). "Dundee 0–2 St Johnstone". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  15. ^ Listen to players on reconstruction, says St Johnstone star Liam Craig, Sean Hamilton, The Courier, 28 April 2020
  16. ^ Management Committee, PFA Scotland; retrieved 5 February 2021
  17. ^ "Liam Craig turns spotlight away from himself after signing new St Johnstone deal". Daily Record. Glasgow. 25 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  18. ^ "21/22 SQUAD UPDATE". St Johnstone Football Club. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  19. ^ Reid, David (27 November 2023). "Stuart Malcolm reveals briefing from ex-Arbroath manager". The Courier. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  20. ^ "Callum Davidson appointed Head Coach at Queen's Park". Queen's Park FC. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  21. ^ "Liam Craig moves on". Queen's Park FC. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  22. ^ "Craig & Samson return as Gray confirms backroom team". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  23. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  24. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  25. ^ a b "Games played by Liam Craig in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  26. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  27. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  28. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  29. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  30. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  31. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  32. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  33. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  34. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  35. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  36. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  37. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  38. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  39. ^ "Games played by Liam Craig in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  40. ^ "Town Win Youth Cup!". TWTD. 23 April 2005. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  41. ^ "St Johnstone beat Hibernian to Complete Cup Double". BBC. 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  42. ^ "St Johnstone beat Livingston to clinch their first League Cup". BBC. 28 February 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
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