Craig Fagan
Encyclopedia
Craig Anthony Fagan is an English footballer who plays for Bradford City
. He can play as a forward or on the wing.
. When the club dismantled its youth system he spent a few months with West Bromwich Albion
, but returned to Birmingham City when they opened their academy, in part because the club was nearer to his home in Bromsgrove
, Worcestershire
, where he attended Catshill Middle School and South Bromsgrove High School
. He scored his first career goal while on loan at Bristol City
, scoring in a 2–1 defeat against Colchester United
, his future club. He failed to make the breakthrough to Birmingham's first team, and joined Colchester United on a free transfer in 2004, after a successful loan spell at the club.
on 28 February 2005 for an undisclosed six-figure transfer fee (believed to be around £125,000). Five days later he scored on his debut in a 3–1 victory over Tranmere Rovers
. He was reunited with his former Colchester boss, Phil Parkinson
, when Parkinson was appointed Hull City manager in the summer of 2006 – Parkinson's tenure however did not last long. Under Parkinson, Fagan was played on the right wing, whereas under Peter Taylor he had played as a striker. Following Parkinson's departure, Hull changed from a 4-4-2 formation to 4-3-3, and Fagan flourished in his role on the right hand side of the front three.
His good form led to interest from other clubs and speculation around his future arose when he was left out of the squad for the FA Cup
Third Round tie against Middlesbrough
on 6 January 2007. Finally, on 9 January, top of the table Derby County
confirmed the signing of Fagan for a fee of £750,000, rising to £1,000,000 dependent on their promotion to the Premiership.
Despite leaving halfway through the season, Fagan led the assists
chart for Hull in 2006–07
, as he had the previous campaign.
on 13 January 2007; ironically he had made his final appearance for Hull against the same opponents 12 days previously, a game which Fagan was also on the winning side. Fagan was mostly employed as a wide player whilst at Derby, rather than his preferred role as striker, with boss Billy Davies
preferring to employ Steve Howard
in the lone striker role. He made 17 league and one cup appearances, scoring only once, in the 1–1 draw away to Leicester City
, as Derby's form faltered and they fell into the playoff
positions, finishing in third. Fagan then went on to play in all three matches in Derby's successful playoff campaign, including the 1–0 win over West Bromwich Albion
in the 2007 Championship Playoff Final.
Whilst Derby's return to the Premiership proved to be a difficult one, as they found themselves bottom of the table for the majority of the season, Fagan himself was consistently involved in the first team and, alongside Stephen Pearson
, was top of the club's appearance chart on 1 March 2008 with 25 league and cup appearances, scoring once in the League Cup
against Blackpool
, although he was mainly used on the wing rather than striker. It may have been more had he not been banned twice, once for four matches for a stamp on Liverpool
's Álvaro Arbeloa in a 6–0 defeat at Anfield
and then for one match after reaching five yellow cards. As part of new manager Paul Jewell
's clearout upon his arrival at the club following the departure of Billy Davies, Fagan moved on loan to Hull City on 7 March 2008, with a view to a permanent deal.
Fagan made his second debut for Hull in a 2–0 win over Scunthorpe United
on 8 March 2008 and was part of the side which eventually secured the club's first ever season in the top flight of English football, following a 1–0 win over Bristol City
at Wembley in the 2008 Championship Playoff Final
, in which Fagan appeared as a 67th-minute substitute. It was Fagan's second consecutive appearance in the Championship Playoff final following playing for Derby there the previous year. Derby manager Paul Jewell announced on 17 June 2008 that the deal to take Fagan back to Hull on a permanent transfer had been agreed, with the fee believed to be £750,000. This was completed on 2 July.
On Saturday 13 September 2008, Fagan suffered a broken tibia
after being on the end of an "horrific tackle" by Newcastle United
midfielder
Danny Guthrie
. Guthrie was sent off in the incident, which occurred in the closing stages of Hull's victory at St James' Park
. He returned to action on 26 December 2008 and scored Hull's only goal in a heavy defeat to Manchester City.
Following Hull City's return to the Championship Fagan spent all of the 2010–11 season sidelined through injury. After the end of the season, on 10 May 2011, the club announced that Fagan had been released from Hull City along with three other players, ending his second stint at the East Riding of Yorkshire club.
During the close season, Fagan had trials at Championship
clubs Cardiff City
and Crystal Palace
.
He signed for Bradford City
on 15 September 2011.
On 8 October 2011 Fagan scored his first goal for Bradford City against Torquay.
and, through his grandparents, Jamaica
.
Hull City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
. He can play as a forward or on the wing.
Early career
Fagan began his football career as an under-nine with Birmingham CityBirmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. When the club dismantled its youth system he spent a few months with West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
, but returned to Birmingham City when they opened their academy, in part because the club was nearer to his home in Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, England. The town is about north east of Worcester and south west of Birmingham city centre. It had a population of 29,237 in 2001 with a small ethnic minority and is in Bromsgrove District.- History :Bromsgrove is first documented in the early 9th century...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, where he attended Catshill Middle School and South Bromsgrove High School
South Bromsgrove High School
South Bromsgrove High School is a co-educational, comprehensive secondary school in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. It is located opposite the housing estate of Charford. The school holds Specialist Language College and Technology College College status...
. He scored his first career goal while on loan at Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
, scoring in a 2–1 defeat against Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
, his future club. He failed to make the breakthrough to Birmingham's first team, and joined Colchester United on a free transfer in 2004, after a successful loan spell at the club.
Hull City
Fagan joined Hull CityHull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
on 28 February 2005 for an undisclosed six-figure transfer fee (believed to be around £125,000). Five days later he scored on his debut in a 3–1 victory over Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
. He was reunited with his former Colchester boss, Phil Parkinson
Phil Parkinson
Philip John "Phil" Parkinson is an English football manager and former player who currently manages Bradford City.-Playing career:...
, when Parkinson was appointed Hull City manager in the summer of 2006 – Parkinson's tenure however did not last long. Under Parkinson, Fagan was played on the right wing, whereas under Peter Taylor he had played as a striker. Following Parkinson's departure, Hull changed from a 4-4-2 formation to 4-3-3, and Fagan flourished in his role on the right hand side of the front three.
His good form led to interest from other clubs and speculation around his future arose when he was left out of the squad for the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
Third Round tie against Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
on 6 January 2007. Finally, on 9 January, top of the table 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...
confirmed the signing of Fagan for a fee of £750,000, rising to £1,000,000 dependent on their promotion to the Premiership.
Despite leaving halfway through the season, Fagan led the assists
Assist (football)
In association football, an assist is a contribution by a player which helps to score a goal. Statistics for assists made by players may be kept officially by the organisers of a competition, or unofficially by, for example, journalists or organisers of fantasy football competitions...
chart for Hull in 2006–07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
, as he had the previous campaign.
Derby County
Upon joining Derby Fagan quickly worked his way into the first team and made his debut in a 1–0 win over Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
on 13 January 2007; ironically he had made his final appearance for Hull against the same opponents 12 days previously, a game which Fagan was also on the winning side. Fagan was mostly employed as a wide player whilst at Derby, rather than his preferred role as striker, with boss 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...
preferring to employ Steve Howard
Steve Howard
Steven John "Steve" Howard is a Scottish-English footballer currently playing for Championship side Leicester City.Howard is renowned for his aerial strength...
in the lone striker role. He made 17 league and one cup appearances, scoring only once, in the 1–1 draw away to Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, as Derby's form faltered and they fell into the playoff
Football League Play-Offs
The Football League play-offs are an annual series of football matches to determine some of the promotion places within the Football League. Essentially, each division of the league offers a certain number of automatic promotion places to the top two or three clubs. A further promotion place is...
positions, finishing in third. Fagan then went on to play in all three matches in Derby's successful playoff campaign, including the 1–0 win over West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in the 2007 Championship Playoff Final.
Whilst Derby's return to the Premiership proved to be a difficult one, as they found themselves bottom of the table for the majority of the season, Fagan himself was consistently involved in the first team and, alongside Stephen Pearson
Stephen Pearson
Stephen Paul Pearson is a Scottish footballer who plays for Bristol City, on loan from Derby County in the English Championship. He is a full international for Scotland, and also played for Motherwell, Celtic and Stoke City.-Early career:Pearson was born in Lanark...
, was top of the club's appearance chart on 1 March 2008 with 25 league and cup appearances, scoring once in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
against 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...
, although he was mainly used on the wing rather than striker. It may have been more had he not been banned twice, once for four matches for a stamp on Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
's Álvaro Arbeloa in a 6–0 defeat at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
and then for one match after reaching five yellow cards. As part of new manager Paul Jewell
Paul Jewell
Paul Steven Jewell is a former English footballer who is currently the manager of Ipswich Town.His playing career started with Liverpool before moving to Wigan Athletic and then a ten-year spell with Bradford City...
's clearout upon his arrival at the club following the departure of Billy Davies, Fagan moved on loan to Hull City on 7 March 2008, with a view to a permanent deal.
Return to Hull City
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
on 8 March 2008 and was part of the side which eventually secured the club's first ever season in the top flight of English football, following a 1–0 win over Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
at Wembley in the 2008 Championship Playoff Final
2008 Football League Championship playoff final
The 2008 Football League Championship play-off Final was contested between Bristol City and Hull City. The match was won by Hull City through a 38th minute goal from Dean Windass. The victory meant that this was the first time in the history of Hull City that they would be competing in the top...
, in which Fagan appeared as a 67th-minute substitute. It was Fagan's second consecutive appearance in the Championship Playoff final following playing for Derby there the previous year. Derby manager Paul Jewell announced on 17 June 2008 that the deal to take Fagan back to Hull on a permanent transfer had been agreed, with the fee believed to be £750,000. This was completed on 2 July.
On Saturday 13 September 2008, Fagan suffered a broken tibia
Tibia
The tibia , shinbone, or shankbone is the larger and stronger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates , and connects the knee with the ankle bones....
after being on the end of an "horrific tackle" by Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
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...
Danny Guthrie
Danny Guthrie
Danny Sean Guthrie is an English footballer who plays for Premier League club Newcastle United, as a midfielder.His displays in Liverpool's Academy side earned him a call-up to the England schoolboy side...
. Guthrie was sent off in the incident, which occurred in the closing stages of Hull's victory at St James' Park
St James' Park
St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'...
. He returned to action on 26 December 2008 and scored Hull's only goal in a heavy defeat to Manchester City.
Following Hull City's return to the Championship Fagan spent all of the 2010–11 season sidelined through injury. After the end of the season, on 10 May 2011, the club announced that Fagan had been released from Hull City along with three other players, ending his second stint at the East Riding of Yorkshire club.
During the close season, Fagan had trials at 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...
clubs Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
and Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
.
He signed for Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
on 15 September 2011.
On 8 October 2011 Fagan scored his first goal for Bradford City against Torquay.
International career
Craig Fagan is eligible for both EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and, through his grandparents, Jamaica
Jamaica national football team
The Jamaica national football team is the national team of Jamaica and is controlled by the Jamaica Football Federation. After decades in CONCACAF obscurity, they gained many fans throughout the world after they qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup...
.
Career statistics
| Club performance | |League | |FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... | |League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... | |Other | |Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 2002–03 | Birmingham City Birmingham City F.C. Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the... |
Premier League | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Bristol City Bristol City F.C. Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City... (loan) |
Division 2 Football League Second Division From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams... |
6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1a | 0 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2003–04 | Birmingham City | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Colchester United Colchester United F.C. Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910.... (loan) |
Division 2 | 31 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4a | 0 | 42 | 6 | |
| Colchester United | Division 2 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | |
| 2004–05 | Colchester United | League One Football League One Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system.... |
26 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 14 |
| Hull City Hull City A.F.C. Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football... |
League One | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 | |
| 2005–06 | Hull City | 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... |
41 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 5 |
| 2006–07 | Hull City | Championship | 27 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 6 |
| 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... |
Championship | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3b | 0 | 21 | 1 | |
| 2007–08 | Derby County | Premier League | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 1 |
| Hull City (loan) | Championship | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3b | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2008–09 2008–09 in English football The 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Hull City were all playing in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. Stoke returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, while... |
Hull City | Premier League | 22 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 3 |
| 2009–10 2009–10 in English football The 2009–10 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One and League Two and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League... |
Hull City | Premier League | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 2 |
| 2010–11 2010–11 in English football The 2010–11 season was the 131st season of competitive football in England.The season began on 6 August 2010 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier League and Football Conference both starting eight days later on 14 August 2010. The Championship, League One, and League Two ended on 7 May... |
Hull City | Championship | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2011–12 2011–12 in English football The 2011–12 season is the 132nd season of competitive football in England.The season began on 5 August 2011 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier starting eight days later, League Football Conference Starting one day before Premier League starts.The Championship, League One, and League Two... |
Bradford City | League 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Career total | 253 | 40 | 18 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 294 | 48 | ||
- a. Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
- b. Football League Championship play-offsFootball League Championship play-offsThe Football League Championship play-offs are a series of playoff matches contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the Football League Championship table. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 6th playing 3rd and 5th playing 4th, with the return fixtures following...
Honours
Derby County- Football League ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe 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...
play-offsFootball League Championship play-offsThe Football League Championship play-offs are a series of playoff matches contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the Football League Championship table. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 6th playing 3rd and 5th playing 4th, with the return fixtures following...
(1): 20072007 Football League Championship play-off finalThe 2007 Football League Championship play-off Final, also known as the 2007 Coca-Cola Championship play-off Final due to sponsorship from Coca-Cola, was a football match played at Wembley Stadium on 28 May 2007, at the end of the 2006–07 season...
Hull City
- Football League ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe 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...
play-offsFootball League Championship play-offsThe Football League Championship play-offs are a series of playoff matches contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the Football League Championship table. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 6th playing 3rd and 5th playing 4th, with the return fixtures following...
(1): 2008
External links
- Craig Fagan profile on Hull City official website
- Craig Fagan profile on Derby County official website