Stevie_Crawford

Stevie Crawford

Stevie Crawford

Scottish association football player and manager

For other people named Steven Crawford, see Steven Crawford.

Stephen Crawford (born 9 January 1974) is a Scottish professional football coach and former player. He is currently the interim manager of Lowland League club Cowdenbeath.

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Crawford started his career with Raith Rovers, with whom he won the 1994 Scottish League Cup final and played in the UEFA Cup. This earned him a move to English football with Millwall, but Crawford returned to Scotland after just one year. He had a mixed spell with Hibernian, suffering relegation but then winning promotion. Crawford then had the most productive spell of his career with Dunfermline Athletic, during which time he became a Scotland regular, amassing 25 caps in total. Crawford played in three Scottish Cup Finals (two for Dunfermline and one for Dundee United) in the mid-2000s, losing all three to Celtic. Crawford's stint with Dundee United came after a short-lived return to English football with Plymouth Argyle.

After short spells with Aberdeen and Dunfermline Athletic, Crawford signed for lower division club East Fife in 2008. He served East Fife as player/manager for just over a year before resigning as manager in October 2010.[2] After stints as an assistant manager at Falkirk, Hearts and Milton Keynes Dons, he managed Dunfermline Athletic for two years. After a second spell as East Fife manager, Crawford joined Dundee United as assistant manager in September 2022 but that spell didn’t last at Tannadice and both Crawford and Fox was sacked.

In August 2023 he became manager of Rosyth as he replaced outgoing head coach Greig Denham who resigned at the east of Scotland outfits.

Domestic career

1990s

Crawford, who plays as a striker, began his career with Raith Rovers in 1992. Raith beat Celtic in a penalty shootout in the 1994 Scottish League Cup Final and Crawford scored one of Raith's goals in the final.[3] Raith also played in the UEFA Cup against Bayern Munich.

After the 1995–96 season, Crawford moved on to Millwall, where he spent a single season and scored 11 goals. Hibernian signed Crawford in 1997, but were relegated from the top division before winning promotion back to the Scottish Premier League in 1999. Crawford moved to Dunfermline Athletic on loan for the 1999–2000 season, scoring 16 goals in 25 games.

Dunfermline Athletic

Crawford signed for the Fife side permanently in July 2000 after a successful loan in the previous season. His first goal for the Pars came on 12 August 2000 against St Johnstone.[4] Crawford was Dunfermline's top scorer in his first season at East End Park, scoring 9 goals in 37 league matches. The next season was just as successful for Crawford in goalscoring terms and his goals elevated Dunfermline to finishing sixth in the league. His goal in the final game of the season against Rangers earned his side a 1–1 draw.[5] The 2002–03 season was perhaps Crawford's best season with the Pars. The third game of the season saw him score a hat-trick against Dundee[6] leading to him challenging for top scorer of the season with 19 goals in 35 games. Crawford's goals again helped the Pars move up the league, helping them finish fifth overall.

His final season at Dunfermline was the club most successful season in a number of years, which saw them finish 4th thanks to Crawford's 13 goals. This not only saw his side qualify for the UEFA Cup, but he also helped the Pars reach the 2004 Scottish Cup Final, which they lost 3–1 to Celtic.[7] It was at this time that Crawford decided he wanted to leave Dunfermline to sign for a club in England.

Plymouth and Dundee United

Crawford signed for Football League Championship side Plymouth Argyle in 2004.[8] He failed to settle in England due to his homesickness. After only six months he returned to Scotland, signing with Dundee United for a £80,000 fee.[9] His time at Tannadice was equally short-lived, although he did earn another Scottish Cup runners-up medal, as United lost the 2005 Scottish Cup Final to Celtic.[10]

Aberdeen and return to Dunfermline

After joining Aberdeen at the start of the 2005–06 season, Crawford returned to Dunfermline in August 2006, despite being a regular starter at Pittodrie and among the top league scorers at the time. He signed a two-year deal with his hometown team[11] but failed to be as productive as he had been in his first spell with Dunfermline, scoring only 8 goals in two seasons. He helped Dunfermline reach the 2007 Scottish Cup Final in which he played as a substitute, however for the third time in four seasons Crawford ended up on the losing side in a Scottish Cup final against Celtic.[12] In April 2008, Crawford was told he would not be offered a new contract and was free to find a new club.[13]

International career

Over the course of his career Crawford won 25 caps for Scotland, scoring 4 goals.[14] He made his debut (and scored) in a Kirin Cup tie in 1995, but did not make another appearance until 2001.[14] Crawford played regularly under the management of Berti Vogts.

Coaching career

It was reported in July 2008 that Crawford had turned down a move to the English Championship in favour of continuing his football in Scotland.[15] Crawford signed a two-year-deal with Scottish Second Division side East Fife a few days later.[16][17] After David Baikie resigned as manager on 14 April 2009, Crawford became caretaker player/manager,[18][19] and he was given the job on a permanent basis later that month.[20] After just over a year as manager, Crawford resigned as manager of East Fife, but remained with the club as a registered player.[2][21]

Crawford was appointed assistant manager of Falkirk in October 2011.[22] He moved to a similar position at Hearts in May 2014, working with Robbie Neilson.[23] Neilson and Crawford both moved to English League One side Milton Keynes Dons in December 2016.[24] They both left MK Dons in January 2018, with the team in 21st place in League One.[25]

Crawford then joined Dunfermline Athletic as a coach. He was appointed head coach in January 2019, after Allan Johnston left the club.[26] After over two years in charge of the side, Crawford announced his resignation at the end of the 2020–21 season.[27]

On 30 November 2021, Crawford was announced as the new manager of East Fife.[28] He left this position in September 2022 to become assistant manager to Liam Fox at Dundee United.[29] Crawford left United in March 2023, following the appointment of Jim Goodwin as manager.[30]

Career statistics

International

More information Year, Apps ...
Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.
More information #, Date ...

Managerial

As of match played 24 September 2022
More information Team, Nat ...

Honours

Club

Raith Rovers

Hibernian

Dunfermline Athletic

Dundee United

Individual

  • Scottish First Division Player of the Year: 1999–2000

References

  1. [1]
    "Stevie Crawford". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  2. [2]
    Stewart, Craig (24 October 2010). "Crawford steps down as East Fife manager". The Scotsman. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
  3. [3]
    "NOW YOU KNOW: Day Rovers danced in the streets of Raith..." glasgowtimes.co.uk. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  4. [4]
    "Saints fight back for point". BBC Sport. 12 August 2000. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
  5. [5]
    "Pars hold Rangers". BBC Sport. 12 May 2002. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
  6. [6]
    "Crawford dumps Dundee". BBC Sport. 17 August 2002. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
  7. [7]
    "Larsson caps Celtic triumph". BBC. 22 May 2004. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  8. [8]
    "Plymouth land Crawford". BBC Sport. 14 June 2004. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
  9. [9]
    "Dundee Utd seal Crawford transfer". BBC Sport. 4 January 2005. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
  10. [10]
    "Celtic 1-0 Dundee United". BBC. 28 May 2005. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  11. [11]
    "Crawford returns to Dunfermline". BBC Sport. 31 August 2006. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
  12. [12]
    "Dunfermline 0-1 Celtic". BBC. 26 May 2007. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  13. [13]
    "No Dunfermline deal for Crawford". BBC Sport. 24 April 2008. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
  14. [14]
    Stevie Crawford at the Scottish Football Association
  15. [15]
    "SPL clubs interested in Crawford". BBC Sport. 23 July 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2008.
  16. [16]
    "Fifers sign "exceptional" Crawford". Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  17. [17]
    "East Fife strike to sign Crawford". BBC Sport. 23 July 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  18. [18]
    "Stevie Crawford- new manager". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2009.
  19. [19]
    "Football: Crawford gets East Fife post". Retrieved 15 April 2009.
  20. [20]
    "Crawford named East Fife manager". BBC Sport. 27 April 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  21. [21]
    "Stevie Crawford". East Fife F.C. official website. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  22. [22]
    "Falkirk snap up Stevie Crawford as new assistant manager". Daily Record. 28 October 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  23. [23]
    Borthwick, Jamie (22 May 2014). "Stevie Crawford joins Hearts as assistant to head coach Robbie Neilson". STV Sport. STV. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  24. [24]
    "Neilson named MK Dons manager". Milton Keynes Dons Official Site. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  25. [25]
    "Robbie Neilson: Milton Keynes Dons manager leaves club by 'mutual consent'". BBC Sport. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  26. [26]
    "Dunfermline: Stevie Crawford appointed head coach". BBC Sport. 10 January 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  27. [27]
    "Club Update". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  28. [28]
    "Stevie Crawford Appointed First Team Manager". eastfifefc.info. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  29. [29]
    "Liam Fox: Dundee United appoint caretaker as head coach on two-year deal". BBC Sport. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  30. [30]
    "Sharp joins Dundee United as Goodwin's assistant". BBC Sport. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  31. [31]
    National Football Teams profile
  32. [32]
    "Stephen Crawford". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  33. [33]
    "2018–19 Dunfermline Fixtures & Results". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
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