- Stephen Crawford
Football player infobox
playername = Stevie Crawford
fullname = Stephen Crawford
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1974|1|9
cityofbirth =Dunfermline
countryofbirth =Scotland
currentclub = East Fife
clubnumber =
position = Forward
years = 1992–1996 1996–1997 1997–2000 1999–2000 2000–2004 2004–2005 2005 2005–2006 2006–2008 2008–
clubs = Raith Rovers Millwall Hibernian → Dunfermline (loan) Dunfermline Plymouth Argyle Dundee United Aberdeen Dunfermline East Fife
caps(goals) = 115 (22) 042 (11) 073 (23) 025 (16) 144 (47) 026 0(6) 021 0(3) 034 0(8) 050 0(8) 007 0(0)
nationalyears = 1995–2004
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 025 0(4)
pcupdate = 00:12, 28 September 2008 (UTC)Stephen 'Stevie' Crawford (born
January 9 ,1974 inDunfermline ,Scotland ) is a professional footballer who is currently playing for East Fife in the Scottish Second Division.Domestic career
1990's
Crawford, who plays as a
striker , began his career with Raith Rovers in 1992. Two years later, Raith beat Celtic in a penalty shootout during the Coca-Cola Cup, earning Crawford a Coca-Cola Cup winner's medal. Raith also played in theUEFA Cup against Bayern Munich.After the 1995-96 season, Crawford moved on to Millwall, where he spent a single season and scored 10 goals. Hibernian gained Crawford's help in 1997 and made it to the
Scottish Premier League by 1999. Crawford moved to Dunfermline Athletic on loan for the 99-00 season, managing to score 16 goals in 25 games.Dunfermline Athletic
Crawford signed for the
Fife side full time in July 2000 after a very successful loan the previous season. His first goal for the Pars came on the 12th of August 2000 against Perth side St. Johnstone. [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/877646.stm|title=Saints fight back for point|accessdate=April 27|accessyear=2008] Crawford was Dunfermline's top scorer in his first season atEast End Park , scoring 9 goals in 37 league matches. The next season was just as successful for Crawford in goal scoring terms and his goals elevated Dunfermline to finishing 6th in the league. His goal in the final game of the season against Rangers earned his side a one all draw. [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/1980797.stm|title=Pars hold Rangers|accessdate=April 27|accessyear=2008] The 2002-03 season was perhaps Crawford's best season with the Pars. The third game of the season saw him score ahat-trick against Dundee [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/2196273.stm|title=Crawford dumps Dundee|accessdate=April 27|accessyear=2008] 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 5th 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 theUEFA Cup , but he also helped the Pars battle to the final of the Scottish Cup. It was at this time that Crawford decided he wanted to leave Dunfermline in order to sign for a club inEngland .Moves, moves, moves
Crawford was eventually snapped up on a free transfer by English Division One now named the Coca-Cola Championship side Plymouth Argyle. [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/plymouth_argyle/3806183.stm|title=Plymouth land Crawford|accessdate=April 27|accessyear=2008] He failed to settle in
England due to his lack of goals and his homesickness. After only six months in England, he returned north signing with Dundee United for £80,000. [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dundee_utd/4093305.stm|title=Dundee Utd seal Crawford transfer|accessdate=April 27|accessyear=2008] His time at Tannadice was equally short-lived though he did win aScottish Cup runners-up medal.After joining Aberdeen at the start of the 2005/06 season where he was top scorer at one point, 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 [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/5285444.stm|title=Crawford returns to Dunfermline|accessdate=April 27|accessyear=2008] but failed to be as productive as he had been in his first spell with Dunfermline, scoring only 8 goals in two seasons. In April 2008, much to the shock of many supporters of the club Crawford was told he would not be offered a new contract and was free to find a new club. [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dunfermline_athletic/7365622.stm|title=No Dunfermline deal for Crawford|accessdate=April 27|accessyear=2008] 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 after attracting attention from twoScottish Premier League clubs. [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7514666.stm|title=SPL clubs interested in Crawford|accessdate=July 18|accessyear=2008] Crawford signed a two-year-deal with Scottish Second Division side East Fife a few days later. [citeweb|url=http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2008/07/23/sportstory11696503t0.asp|title=Fifers sign “exceptional” Crawford|accessdate=July 23|accessyear=2008] [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/e/east_fife/7514666.stm|title=East Fife strike to sign Crawford|accessdate=July 23|accessyear=2008]Internation career
Over the course of his career Crawford has won 25 caps for Scotland, scoring 4 goals.
Honours
*
*
*
*sport honours|Scottish First Division Player of the Year|1|1999-2000ee also
*
Dundee United F.C. season 2004-05 | 2005-06
*Dunfermline Athletic F.C. season 2007-08 References
External links
*
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
