Craig Maskell
Encyclopedia
Craig Dell Maskell is a football Centre Forward
currently playing for Staines Town
and undertaking the role of assistant manager.
where he'd previously signed as an apprentice. After playing a handful of games for the club, he was loaned to Swindon Town
before his eventual transfer to Huddersfield Town
.
A prolific goalscorer for the team, Maskell was later included in The Fans' Favourites, a book which lists the 100 Huddersfield Town players voted by the fans as their favourite players at the time of their centennial in 2006.
A spell at Reading
was followed by his move to Swindon Town
, under Glenn Hoddle
; he scored at Wembley in the 1993 Division One Play-off Final to promote Swindon to the Premier League.
Following a poor season with the club in 1993–94, when they were relegated from the Premier League with only five wins all season, he was sold back to Southampton for £250,000, but his return to The Dell was not a success. He managed 17 Premier League appearances in two seasons, scoring just once, and unable to break up the three-man attack of Matthew Le Tissier
, Neil Shipperley
and Gordon Watson
. He also faced competition for a place on the bench from the likes of Ronnie Ekelund
and Neil Heaney
.
He then played for Bristol City
, Brighton
and Hong Kong teams Happy Valley AA before arriving at Leyton Orient
.
His 18 months at Orient ended when, as part of the losing team in the 1999 Division Three
play-off final, he walked off the pitch at the end of the game vowing never to play for the team again. "I turned to one of my team-mates and said 'that's enough', I'd spent too much time away from my family and too little time on the pitch at Orient."
Leyton Orient released him at the start of the 1999–00 season and he became assistant coach under manager Steve Cordery at Hampton & Richmond Borough
. Maskell was leading goalscorer for the team at the end of the 1999–00 season and had helped the Ryman League Premier Division club to reach the first round of the FA Cup
for the first time.
Maskell and Cordery moved to Aylesbury
in Summer 2002 and he was again amongst the Premier Division's top marksmen with 26 league and cup goals for the team.
The pair took over at Staines Town
in 2003, where they continue to play and manage the team.
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...
currently playing for Staines Town
Staines Town F.C.
Staines Town FC are an English football club based in Staines, Surrey. They are currently competing in the Conference South. The team are usually known as 'The Swans'...
and undertaking the role of assistant manager.
Playing career
Craig Maskell began his professional football career at SouthamptonSouthampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
where he'd previously signed as an apprentice. After playing a handful of games for the club, he was loaned to Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
before his eventual transfer to Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
.
A prolific goalscorer for the team, Maskell was later included in The Fans' Favourites, a book which lists the 100 Huddersfield Town players voted by the fans as their favourite players at the time of their centennial in 2006.
A spell at Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
was followed by his move to Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
, under Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle is an English former footballer and manager who played as an attacking midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, AS Monaco, Chelsea and Swindon Town and at international level for England....
; he scored at Wembley in the 1993 Division One Play-off Final to promote Swindon to the Premier League.
Following a poor season with the club in 1993–94, when they were relegated from the Premier League with only five wins all season, he was sold back to Southampton for £250,000, but his return to The Dell was not a success. He managed 17 Premier League appearances in two seasons, scoring just once, and unable to break up the three-man attack of Matthew Le Tissier
Matthew Le Tissier
Matthew "Matt" Le Tissier is a retired English footballer who played for Southampton and England.An attacking midfielder with exceptional technical skills, Le Tissier is the second-highest ever scorer for Southampton behind Mick Channon and was voted PFA Young Player of the Year in 1990. He was...
, Neil Shipperley
Neil Shipperley
Neil Jason Shipperley is a retired English professional footballer, who played as a centre-forward. He is the former manager of Walton Casuals of the Isthmian League Division One South....
and Gordon Watson
Gordon Watson
Gordon William George Watson is a retired English football player whose career was almost ended when he suffered a double fracture in the right leg in a tackle with Huddersfield Town defender Kevin Gray on 1 February 1997....
. He also faced competition for a place on the bench from the likes of Ronnie Ekelund
Ronnie Ekelund
Ronnie Michael Ekelund is a Danish football player in the forward position, who played professionally in both Europe and the United States...
and Neil Heaney
Neil Heaney
Neil Heaney is an English former footballer who played as a winger for a number of British clubs.-Career:...
.
He then played for 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...
, Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
and Hong Kong teams Happy Valley AA before arriving at Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
.
His 18 months at Orient ended when, as part of the losing team in the 1999 Division Three
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
play-off final, he walked off the pitch at the end of the game vowing never to play for the team again. "I turned to one of my team-mates and said 'that's enough', I'd spent too much time away from my family and too little time on the pitch at Orient."
Leyton Orient released him at the start of the 1999–00 season and he became assistant coach under manager Steve Cordery at Hampton & Richmond Borough
Hampton & Richmond Borough F.C.
Hampton & Richmond Borough F.C. are an English football club based in the suburb of Hampton, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. They were founded in 1921 and formerly known as Hampton F.C. until 1999 when they changed their name in an attempt to draw a wider support base from around the...
. Maskell was leading goalscorer for the team at the end of the 1999–00 season and had helped the Ryman League Premier Division club to reach the first round of 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...
for the first time.
Maskell and Cordery moved to Aylesbury
Aylesbury United F.C.
Aylesbury United are a football club based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, currently playing in the Spartan South Midlands League, nicknamed the Ducks....
in Summer 2002 and he was again amongst the Premier Division's top marksmen with 26 league and cup goals for the team.
The pair took over at Staines Town
Staines Town F.C.
Staines Town FC are an English football club based in Staines, Surrey. They are currently competing in the Conference South. The team are usually known as 'The Swans'...
in 2003, where they continue to play and manage the team.
External links
- Player Profile – Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk
- Player Profile – Staines Town