Craig Lindfield
Encyclopedia
Craig Anthony Lindfield (born 7 September 1988 in Wirral
, Merseyside
) is an English
footballer who plays as a striker
. He is currently playing for Accrington Stanley
.
between 2000 and 2005, and played cricket
for his local club Upton CC.
In 2005/6 he won the FA Youth Cup for the first time as a 17 year old when Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-2 on aggregate, finishing the competition as Liverpools leading goal scorer in the competition.
In 2006/7, he scored 3 goals, including 2 in front of the Kop at Anfield in the 7–3 aggregate score against Newcastle in the semi final of the 2006-2007 FA Youth Cup to secure a place in Liverpool's second consecutive final appearance
In the final they faced arch rivals Manchester United. He scored the opener in the first leg which they lost 2-1. In the return leg, held at Old Trafford on 26 April 2007, Liverpool won 4–3 on penalties when the score stood at 2-2 on aggregate after extra time. Craig scored the second penalty in the penalty shoot-out at the Stretford End, bringing his goal tally to 12 in 12 Youth Cup games.
. He scored the only goal as the Reds triumphed 1–0.
On 1 November 2007 he joined Notts County
on a month's loan, and on the 3 November 2007 he scored 23 minutes into his league debut against Accrington Stanley which ended in a 2–0 win to the Magpies. He made four appearances before returning to Liverpool at the end of the loan period. On 18 January 2008 he returned to League Two when he joined Chester City
in a one-month loan deal. His debut for the club came as a substitute the following day, in a 1–0 loss to his former loan club Notts County, with his final game coming against the same opponents the following month. He then returned to Liverpool.
On 22 August 2008 he joined Bournemouth
on an initial one month loan deal and on 30 August on his full debut he scored against Port Vale
. His loan was extended until the end of 2008. In January 2009 he gained further Football League experience when he went on loan to Accrington Stanley
, where he scored his first goal for the club on 28 February in a league match against Aldershot Town.
He was a member of Liverpool's 2008 Dallas Cup winning side, returning from the USA as the tournament's top scorer with 6 goals. In July 2009 he had a double hernia operation and on the 11 August 2009 his contract with Liverpool was terminated by mutual consent He subsequently had trials with Carlisle United and Morecambe
before training with Accrington Stanley and later with Macclesfield Town.
in December 2009 on a short-term deal, scoring first goal for the Silkmen in a 2-2 draw on his home debut against Morecambe
on 26 January 2010 After some impressive performances his contract was extended until the end of the season on 26 February 2010. He was released by the club, along with ten other players at the end of the 2009/10 season.
in June 2010 on a one year contract. His first goal for Stanley in his second spell with the club came on 10 August 2010 when he scored the extra-time winning goal in a League Cup
match to knock Doncaster Rovers
out of the competition. After suffering a knee injury in late August, on 26 November 2010 he signed a short term loan deal with Kidderminster Harriers in an attempt to gain match fitness. He made his debut for the club on 30 November in a Football Conference
match against York City
were he came on for the last 12 minutes. All subsequent football league games were postponed due to the weather and he returned to Accrington on 23 December 2010. In the 2011-12 season he scored his first league goal as Accrington Stanley beat Dagenham & Redbridge
3-0 and received the man of the match from the sponsors.
U19 international recognition when he was called up and then selected for the international friendly against Holland on 5 September 2006 held at the Bescot Stadium
, Walsall
. He also represented his country in the friendly international tournament held in Austria
in October 2006, scoring two goals against Austria
in a 3-3 draw on 9 October 2006.
Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
The Metropolitan Borough of Wirral is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, in North West England. It has a population of 311,200, and encompasses of the northern part of the Wirral Peninsula. Major settlements include Birkenhead, Wallasey, Bebington, Heswall, Hoylake and West Kirby. The city of...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who plays as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. He is currently playing for Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley F.C.
Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....
.
Early life
Lindfield attended Brookdale Primary School from 1993 to 2000 and then Calday Grange Grammar SchoolCalday Grange Grammar School
Calday Grange Grammar School is a non-denominational selective state grammar school, founded in 1636, situated on Caldy Hill above the town of West Kirby on the Wirral . The school admits boys from the ages of 11 through to 18, and girls for the sixth form only...
between 2000 and 2005, and played cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for his local club Upton CC.
Youth career
He joined the Liverpool Academy in 1996 aged 8, and worked his way up through the club's youth teams.In 2005/6 he won the FA Youth Cup for the first time as a 17 year old when Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-2 on aggregate, finishing the competition as Liverpools leading goal scorer in the competition.
In 2006/7, he scored 3 goals, including 2 in front of the Kop at Anfield in the 7–3 aggregate score against Newcastle in the semi final of the 2006-2007 FA Youth Cup to secure a place in Liverpool's second consecutive final appearance
In the final they faced arch rivals Manchester United. He scored the opener in the first leg which they lost 2-1. In the return leg, held at Old Trafford on 26 April 2007, Liverpool won 4–3 on penalties when the score stood at 2-2 on aggregate after extra time. Craig scored the second penalty in the penalty shoot-out at the Stretford End, bringing his goal tally to 12 in 12 Youth Cup games.
Liverpool
In the summer of 2006 he was promoted from the academy to the first team squad. On 22 July 2006, he made his debut for Liverpool's senior team in a pre-season friendly against CreweCrewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
. He scored the only goal as the Reds triumphed 1–0.
On 1 November 2007 he joined Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
on a month's loan, and on the 3 November 2007 he scored 23 minutes into his league debut against Accrington Stanley which ended in a 2–0 win to the Magpies. He made four appearances before returning to Liverpool at the end of the loan period. On 18 January 2008 he returned to League Two when he joined Chester City
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
in a one-month loan deal. His debut for the club came as a substitute the following day, in a 1–0 loss to his former loan club Notts County, with his final game coming against the same opponents the following month. He then returned to Liverpool.
On 22 August 2008 he joined Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
on an initial one month loan deal and on 30 August on his full debut he scored against Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
. His loan was extended until the end of 2008. In January 2009 he gained further Football League experience when he went on loan to Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley F.C.
Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....
, where he scored his first goal for the club on 28 February in a league match against Aldershot Town.
He was a member of Liverpool's 2008 Dallas Cup winning side, returning from the USA as the tournament's top scorer with 6 goals. In July 2009 he had a double hernia operation and on the 11 August 2009 his contract with Liverpool was terminated by mutual consent He subsequently had trials with Carlisle United and Morecambe
Morecambe F.C.
Morecambe Football Club is an English football club based in Morecambe, Lancashire. It plays its football in League Two, the fourth division of English football, having been promoted in 2007 for the first time in their history to the Football League. They played their home matches at Christie Park...
before training with Accrington Stanley and later with Macclesfield Town.
Macclesfield Town
He then joined Macclesfield TownMacclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
in December 2009 on a short-term deal, scoring first goal for the Silkmen in a 2-2 draw on his home debut against Morecambe
Morecambe F.C.
Morecambe Football Club is an English football club based in Morecambe, Lancashire. It plays its football in League Two, the fourth division of English football, having been promoted in 2007 for the first time in their history to the Football League. They played their home matches at Christie Park...
on 26 January 2010 After some impressive performances his contract was extended until the end of the season on 26 February 2010. He was released by the club, along with ten other players at the end of the 2009/10 season.
Accrington Stanley
He signed for Accrington StanleyAccrington Stanley F.C.
Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....
in June 2010 on a one year contract. His first goal for Stanley in his second spell with the club came on 10 August 2010 when he scored the extra-time winning goal in a League Cup
League Cup
In association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946/47 and was entitled the Scottish...
match to knock Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
out of the competition. After suffering a knee injury in late August, on 26 November 2010 he signed a short term loan deal with Kidderminster Harriers in an attempt to gain match fitness. He made his debut for the club on 30 November in a Football Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
match against York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
were he came on for the last 12 minutes. All subsequent football league games were postponed due to the weather and he returned to Accrington on 23 December 2010. In the 2011-12 season he scored his first league goal as Accrington Stanley beat Dagenham & Redbridge
Dagenham & Redbridge F.C.
Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club , informally known as Daggers, is an English association football club based in Dagenham, in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, East London. It was formed in 1992 after a merger between Redbridge Forest and Dagenham...
3-0 and received the man of the match from the sponsors.
International career
Lindfield received 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...
U19 international recognition when he was called up and then selected for the international friendly against Holland on 5 September 2006 held at the Bescot Stadium
Bescot Stadium
Bescot Stadium, also known as the Banks's Stadium for sponsorship purposes, is the home ground of Walsall Football Club. It was built in 1989-90 by GMI Construction with a reported build cost of £4.5m...
, Walsall
Walsall
Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative...
. He also represented his country in the friendly international tournament held in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
in October 2006, scoring two goals against Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
in a 3-3 draw on 9 October 2006.
Honours
- FA Youth CupFA Youth CupThe Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
: 2005–6, 2006–7 - Dallas CupDallas CupThe Dallas Cup is an international football tournament for invited youth teams, held annually in Dallas, Texas. It was first held in 1980. The current champion is Cruzeiro...
: 2008 - FA Premier Reserve LeagueFA Premier Reserve LeagueThe Premier Reserve League is the reserve team league for the top English football teams in the Premier League...
: 2007–08