Liam Craig

Liam Craig (born 27 December 1986) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for St Johnstone. He is an attack minded creative midfield player who can operate on the left side of midfield or in a central position.

Liam Craig
Personal information
Date of birth (1986-12-27) 27 December 1986
Place of birth Chirnside, Scotland
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 St Johnstone
Number 26
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– St Johnstone 165 (17)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 03:37, 4 February 2021 (UTC)

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]

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]

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]

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]

Career statistics
As of match played 3 February 2021
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Scottish Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Falkirk 2005–06[18] Scottish Premier League 1603000—190
2006–07[19] 2721141—324
2007–08[20] 600010—70
Total 492415100584
St Johnstone (loan) 2007–08[20] Scottish First Division 192520000244
St Johnstone 2008–09[21] 345102100376
2009–10[22] Scottish Premier League 3181240—3610
2010–11[23] 3455120—416
2011–12[24] 3673020—417
2012–13[25] 37720212[lower-alpha 1]0438
Total 191341751222022241
Hibernian 2013–14[26] Scottish Premiership 34620234[lower-alpha 2]0429
2014–15[27] Scottish Championship 24231203[lower-alpha 3]0323
Total 5885143707412
St Johnstone 2015–16[28] Scottish Premiership 356003000386
2016–17[29] 3652061—446
2017–18[30] 27310102[lower-alpha 1]0313
2018–19[31] 3622050—432
2019–20[32] 1501020—180
2020–21[33] 1610060—221
Total 16517602312019618
Career total 4636132744711055075
  1. 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

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. "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. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  7. "Transfer Update". www.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. "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". Dailyrecord.co.uk. 25 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  18. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  19. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  20. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  21. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  22. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  23. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  24. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  25. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  26. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  27. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  28. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  29. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  30. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  31. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  32. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  33. "Games played by Liam Craig in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  34. "Town Win Youth Cup!". TWTD. 23 April 2005. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
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