Craig Bryson
Encyclopedia
Craig James Bryson is a Scottish
football midfielder
who plays for English Championship
side Derby County
. He plays as a midfielder
and describes himself as a "box-to-box central midfielder, who will always give 100% for the team."
at the beginning of season 2003–04
, though he didn't make a first team appearance, and was loaned out to junior outfit East Kilbride Thistle
for the latter part of the season. He made a big impression in his time at East Kilbrige, winning the club's Young Player of the Year award. Bryson made his first team debut for Clyde in a Scottish First Division
match against Raith Rovers
on 14 August 2004, and scored a goal after 4 minutes, in a match Clyde won 3–2. He was rewarded with a new contract in November 2004. His good form at club level saw him called up to the Scotland under-19
team for a friendly against Germany. In February 2004, Bryson scored in a 2–1 victory over Ross County
in a Scottish Cup
replay, which set up a quarter-final tie against Celtic
, the team he supported as a boy. Bryson started against Celtic, and thought he had scored after hitting the back of the net from a long range strike, but this goal was controversially ruled out after the referee had blown his whistle to award a free kick to Clyde. Celtic went on to win 5–0. Bryson continued his good form over the season, winning him Clyde's Young Player of the Year Award for 2004–05
.
During 2005–06
, Bryson scored goals against both halves of the Old Firm
. In September 2005, he scored Clyde's equalising goal against Rangers
in a Scottish League Cup
tie at Ibrox Stadium
, in a 5–2 extra time defeat. In January 2006, Bryson scored the opener in the famous 2–1 Scottish Cup
win over Celtic
, the game in which Roy Keane
made his Celtic debut. He was then linked with moves to Celtic and Tottenham Hotspur
, and was called up to the Scotland under-21
side.
In October 2006, Bryson scored in a 3–1 victory over Greenock Morton
in a Scottish Challenge Cup semi-final, which sent Clyde to their first major final in 48 years. Bryson started the final
the following month against Ross County, which Clyde lost on penalties. Bryson, along with club-mate Neil McGregor
, was selected in the SPFA First Division Team of 2006–07
. Bryson's contract expired at the end of the season, and in January 2007, Billy Davies
, then-manager of his future club Derby County, took him on a week's trial. However, Davies decided not to sign him permanently and Bryson left Clyde at the end of the 2006–07 season, having made 114 overall appearances, scoring 12 goals.
in July 2007. He scored his first goals for the club in a 3–1 victory against Aberdeen
. During 2008, Bryson established himself as an important first team player, and he was rewarded during December 2008 with an extension to his contract that ran until the summer of 2013.
had agreed a fee and the player signed for Derby on June 9, 2011 following the reopening of the transfer window, the fee was speculated to be £350,000, rising to £450,000 after add on clauses. Bryson made a strong start to his Derby career, despite a pre-season disrupted by injury, scoring the winner with his first Derby goal in a 1-0 victory at Blackpool
and helping the side to four straight victories from opening day - the club's best season start for 106 years. He scored his first goal at Pride Park
in a 3-0 victory over Millwall
. Derby enjoyed a fine first quarter to the season and found themselves 4th in the table, with manager Nigel Clough
singling Bryson as the top performer of the season so far. His third goal of the season came in his man of the match performance in Derby's 3-1 win over Portsmouth
, which also saw him named in the Championship team of the week.
Scottish Challenge Cup Runners up. 2006-07
Scottish First Division Runners up. 2002-03
2003-04
at U19 & U21 level.
He made his full international debut as a second half sub on 16 November 2010 against Faroe Islands
at Pittodrie.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
football midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who plays for English Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
side Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
. He plays as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
and describes himself as a "box-to-box central midfielder, who will always give 100% for the team."
Clyde
Bryson signed a professional contract with ClydeClyde F.C.
Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Although based for the last fifteen years in the new town of Cumbernauld, they are traditionally associated with an area that covers Rutherglen in South...
at the beginning of season 2003–04
2003-04 in Scottish football
The 2003–04 season was the 107th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier League:The 2003–04 Scottish Premier League season was won by Celtic with 98 points, 17 points ahead of closest challengers Rangers. Both Rangers and Celtic therefore gained the two UEFA...
, though he didn't make a first team appearance, and was loaned out to junior outfit East Kilbride Thistle
East Kilbride Thistle F.C.
East Kilbride Thistle Football Club are a Scottish football club, based in the town of East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire near Glasgow. Nicknamed The Jags, they were formed in 1968 and play at the Showpark, situated in the Village area of East Kilbride...
for the latter part of the season. He made a big impression in his time at East Kilbrige, winning the club's Young Player of the Year award. Bryson made his first team debut for Clyde in a Scottish First Division
Scottish Football League First Division
The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
match against Raith Rovers
Raith Rovers F.C.
Raith Rovers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Kirkcaldy, Fife. They are members of the Scottish Football League, currently playing in the First Division, having secured promotion from the Second Division as champions in 2009. Rovers have won one national trophy, the...
on 14 August 2004, and scored a goal after 4 minutes, in a match Clyde won 3–2. He was rewarded with a new contract in November 2004. His good form at club level saw him called up to the Scotland under-19
Scotland national under-19 football team
The Scotland national under-19 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national football team for players of 19 years of age or under at the start of a European Under-19 Football Championship campaign....
team for a friendly against Germany. In February 2004, Bryson scored in a 2–1 victory over Ross County
Ross County F.C.
Ross County Football Club are a Scottish professional football team from the town of Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty. Founded in 1929 they currently compete in the Scottish Football League First Division and play their home matches at Victoria Park. Prior to the 1994–95 season they played in the...
in a Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
replay, which set up a quarter-final tie against Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
, the team he supported as a boy. Bryson started against Celtic, and thought he had scored after hitting the back of the net from a long range strike, but this goal was controversially ruled out after the referee had blown his whistle to award a free kick to Clyde. Celtic went on to win 5–0. Bryson continued his good form over the season, winning him Clyde's Young Player of the Year Award for 2004–05
2004-05 in Scottish football
The 2004–05 season was the 108th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2004:*6 July 2004 - Nacho Novo from Dundee to Rangers, £450,000*1 July 2004 - Dado Prso from AS Monaco to Rangers, Bosman...
.
During 2005–06
2005-06 in Scottish football
The 2005–06 season was the 109th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2005:*1 June: Gordon Strachan officially takes charge of Celtic after the resignation of Martin O'Neill...
, Bryson scored goals against both halves of the Old Firm
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
. In September 2005, he scored Clyde's equalising goal against Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
in a Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
tie at Ibrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium is a football stadium located on the south side of the River Clyde, on Edmiston Drive in the Ibrox district of Glasgow. It is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Rangers and has an all-seated capacity of 51,082...
, in a 5–2 extra time defeat. In January 2006, Bryson scored the opener in the famous 2–1 Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
win over Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
, the game in which Roy Keane
Roy Keane
Roy Maurice Keane is an Irish former footballer and manager. In his 18-year playing career, he played for Cobh Ramblers in the League of Ireland, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, before ending his career at Celtic in Scotland....
made his Celtic debut. He was then linked with moves to Celtic and Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, and was called up to the Scotland under-21
Scotland national under-21 football team
The Scotland national under-21 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national under 21 football team and is considered to be a feeder team for the Scotland national football team....
side.
In October 2006, Bryson scored in a 3–1 victory over Greenock Morton
Greenock Morton F.C.
Greenock Morton Football Club are a Scottish professional football club, who currently play in the Scottish Football League First Division. The club was founded as Morton Football Club in 1874, making it one of the oldest senior Scottish clubs....
in a Scottish Challenge Cup semi-final, which sent Clyde to their first major final in 48 years. Bryson started the final
2006 Scottish Challenge Cup Final
The 2006 Scottish Challenge Cup Final was played on 12 November 2006 at McDiarmid Park in Perth and was the 16th Scottish Challenge Cup Final. The final was contested by Ross County, who beat Albion Rovers 4–1 in the semi-final, and Clyde, who beat Greenock Morton 3–1...
the following month against Ross County, which Clyde lost on penalties. Bryson, along with club-mate Neil McGregor
Neil McGregor
Neil McGregor , is a Scottish football defender who currently plays for Dundee FC.-Career:McGregor began his career with Kilmarnock, but failed to make the grade with them and was released. He subsequently signed for Clyde in the summer of 2005, and scored on his début for them in the Scottish...
, was selected in the SPFA First Division Team of 2006–07
2006-07 in Scottish football
The 2006–07 season was the 110th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2006:*9 July: Rangers defender Fernando Ricksen is banned for the club's pre-season trip to South Africa, following an incident on the outbound flight. Manager Paul Le Guen cited "wholly inappropriate and...
. Bryson's contract expired at the end of the season, and in January 2007, Billy Davies
Billy Davies
William McIntosh "Billy" Davies is a Glasgow-born Scottish football manager, noted for his achievement in the Football League Championship with East Midlands Rivals Derby County and Nottingham Forest and Preston North End which has led him to be described, in 2011, as "probably the best manager at...
, then-manager of his future club Derby County, took him on a week's trial. However, Davies decided not to sign him permanently and Bryson left Clyde at the end of the 2006–07 season, having made 114 overall appearances, scoring 12 goals.
Kilmarnock
Bryson signed for KilmarnockKilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
in July 2007. He scored his first goals for the club in a 3–1 victory against Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
. During 2008, Bryson established himself as an important first team player, and he was rewarded during December 2008 with an extension to his contract that ran until the summer of 2013.
Derby County
On June 4, 2011, it was confirmed that Kilmarnock and Derby CountyDerby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
had agreed a fee and the player signed for Derby on June 9, 2011 following the reopening of the transfer window, the fee was speculated to be £350,000, rising to £450,000 after add on clauses. Bryson made a strong start to his Derby career, despite a pre-season disrupted by injury, scoring the winner with his first Derby goal in a 1-0 victory at Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
and helping the side to four straight victories from opening day - the club's best season start for 106 years. He scored his first goal at Pride Park
Pride Park Stadium
Pride Park Stadium is an all-seater football stadium located on the Pride Park business park on the outskirts of Derby, England. It is the current home of Football League Championship club Derby County, who moved to the stadium from the Baseball Ground upon its opening in 1997...
in a 3-0 victory over Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
. Derby enjoyed a fine first quarter to the season and found themselves 4th in the table, with manager Nigel Clough
Nigel Clough
Nigel Howard Clough is an English former footballer and the current manager of Derby County. Playing predominately as a striker, but later in his career was used as a midfielder, Clough was capped by England 14 times in the early 1990s....
singling Bryson as the top performer of the season so far. His third goal of the season came in his man of the match performance in Derby's 3-1 win over Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, which also saw him named in the Championship team of the week.
Honours
Clyde Football ClubScottish Challenge Cup Runners up. 2006-07
Scottish First Division Runners up. 2002-03
2002-03 in Scottish football
The 2002–03 season was the 106th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier League:The 2002–03 Scottish Premier League was won on goal difference by Rangers by a single goal over Celtic. Both Rangers and Celtic qualified for the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League and...
2003-04
2003-04 in Scottish football
The 2003–04 season was the 107th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier League:The 2003–04 Scottish Premier League season was won by Celtic with 98 points, 17 points ahead of closest challengers Rangers. Both Rangers and Celtic therefore gained the two UEFA...
International career
Bryson was capped by ScotlandScotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
at U19 & U21 level.
He made his full international debut as a second half sub on 16 November 2010 against Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
at Pittodrie.