Fred Craig (footballer)

Frederick Glover Craig (16 January 1891 – 30 August 1966) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, best remembered for his two spells with Plymouth Argyle, for whom he made over 430 appearances in the Southern League and the Football League. Craig made more appearances for the club than any other goalkeeper.[3]

Fred Craig
Craig while with Plymouth Argyle in 1921
Personal information
Full name Frederick Glover Craig[1]
Date of birth (1891-01-16)16 January 1891
Place of birth Larkhall, Scotland
Date of death 30 August 1966(1966-08-30) (aged 75)[2]
Place of death Larkhall, Scotland[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
0000–1909 Glenview
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1909–1910 Larkhall United
1910–1911 Ross Rovers
1911–1912 Larkhall Thistle
1912–1915 Plymouth Argyle 38 (0)
Royal Albert
St Johnstone
1915–1916 Vale of Leven
1916–1917 Hamilton Academical 42 (0)
1917 Brentford 1 (0)
1918 Ayr United 3 (0)
1918–1919 Motherwell 29 (0)
1919 Clydebank 1 (0)
1919 Larkhall Thistle
1919–1930 Plymouth Argyle 401 (5)
1930–1931 Barrow 14 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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A goalkeeper, Craig began his career in Scottish junior football,[4] before moving to England to join Southern League First Division club Plymouth Argyle in 1912.[5] He made just four appearances during the 1912–13 season, in which Argyle won the Southern League First Division title.[5] He succeeded Titch Horne as Argyle's first choice goalkeeper midway through 1914–15, but the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 led to the cessation of competitive football in England at the end of the season, for the duration of the conflict.[6]

Craig returned to Scotland to play competitive Scottish League football during the war and turned out for several clubs (most notably Hamilton Academical and Motherwell),[7][8] before re-joining Plymouth Argyle in time for the beginning of the 1919–20 season.[2] Argyle were elevated into the Football League Third Division for the 1920–21 season and Craig remained with the club until the end of the 1929–30 season, when he captained the team to the Third Division South championship.[5][6] During his 14 seasons at Home Park, Craig made 467 appearances and scored five goals.[5] Towards the end of his Argyle career, he occasionally filled in as the team's penalty taker.[6] Craig finished his career with a short spell at Third Division North club Barrow.[1]

International career

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In 1923, Craig was selected for the Home Scots v Anglo-Scots international trial match alongside Plymouth Argyle teammate Patsy Corcoran (with whom he had also played at Hamilton Academical), though neither gained a full cap.[9]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Plymouth Argyle 1912–13[5] Southern League First Division 4 0 0 0 4 0
1913–14[5] 10 0 0 0 10 0
1914–15[5] 24 0 2 0 26 0
Total 38 0 3 0 41 0
Hamilton Academical 1915–16[10] Scottish League Division One 9 0 9 0
1916–17[11] 29 0 29 0
1917–18[12] 4 0 4 0
Total 42 0 42 0
Ayr United 1917–18[2] Scottish League Division One 3 0 3 0
Motherwell 1918–19[2] Scottish League Division One 29 0 29 0
Clyde 1918–19[2] Scottish League Division One 1 0 1 0
Plymouth Argyle 1919–20[5] Southern League First Division 40 0 3 0 43 0
1920–21[5] Third Division 42 0 5 0 47 0
1921–22[5] Third Division South 36 0 2 0 38 0
1922–23[5] 41 0 4 0 45 0
1923–24[5] 42 0 1 0 43 0
1924–25[5] 42 0 1 0 43 0
1925–26[5] 42 0 1 0 43 0
1926–27[5] 34 3 1 0 35 3
1927–28[5] 12 1 0 0 12 1
1928–29[5] 40 0 4 0 44 0
1929–30[5] 30 1 4 0 34 1
Total 439 5 28 0 467 5
Career total 514 5 28 0 542 5

Honours

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Plymouth Argyle

References

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  1. ^ a b Joyce, Michael (16 October 2012). Football League Players' Records 1888–1939 (3rd Revised ed.). Tony Brown. p. 69. ISBN 9781905891610.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
  3. ^ "Keep On Keeping On". www.pafc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Craig Fred Plymouth Argyle 1922". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Fred Craig". GoS-DB. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  6. ^ a b c "Greatest Pilgrim Goalkeepers: 15–11". www.pafc.co.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  7. ^ "Craig, Fred (1916)". Hamilton Academical Memory Bank. 17 October 2020. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Frederick Craig". Motherwellnet. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  9. ^ "Football | International Trial Match". The Glasgow Herald. 21 March 1923. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  10. ^ "1915–16". docs.google.com. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
  11. ^ "1916–17". docs.google.com. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
  12. ^ "1917–18". docs.google.com. Retrieved 29 December 2018.