Martin Cranie
Encyclopedia
Martin James Cranie is an English
footballer
, currently playing for Championship
club Coventry City
. He began his career with the famous Southampton youth academy playing alongside Theo Walcott
and Gareth Bale
before moving to local rivals Portsmouth
and later to Coventry City after several loan spells. He is a versatile defender who can play all across the back four, though his main position is usually centre or right back.
in Yeovil, Somerset between the years 1998 and 2003 after completing his primary school education at Birchfield Community School.
He was a member of Southampton
's youth team that reached the final of the FA Youth Cup in 2005, losing on aggregate to Ipswich Town
.
In 2005, Cranie spent time on loan at Bournemouth
, making three appearances for the club.
On 7 November 2006, he joined Yeovil Town
on loan until January. After spending 2 months back with Southampton, on 2 March 2007 he returned to Yeovil on loan until Easter. He made his first and only 2006–07 appearance for Saints in the second leg of the play-off semi-final against Derby County
where he acquitted himself well although his side were defeated on penalties.
on 26 June 2007, where he rejoined his former manager Harry Redknapp
.
He made his Portsmouth debut in the first home game of the 2007–08 season against Manchester United
on 15 August 2007 where he had a solid performance at right back.
On 6 October, after three appearances for Portsmouth, Cranie agreed to join Queens Park Rangers
on a three month loan. QPR, bottom of the Championship, were interested in Cranie when he was with the Saints. His loan was ended, however, due to suffering a broken leg after just six appearances for the London side. In September 2008 he joined Charlton Athletic
on loan until the end of the year.
Cranie returned to Portsmouth in January 2009 and made appearances in two FA Cup matches.
On 12 August 2009, Portsmouth
agreed to sell Cranie to Coventry City
for an undisclosed fee.
for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-year contract with the Championship
club.
Cranie scored his first career goal in Coventry's 3–2 home win against Sheffield United on 15 September 2009. The goal was a flicked header at the near post from a corner and turned out to be the match winner as he gave Coventry a 3–1 lead.
alongside James Milner
, Andrew Taylor
and Steven Taylor
as the youngest players in the squad. He made only one appearance as England crashed out after finishing at the bottom of their group. On 16 August 2007 Cranie was called up for the England U-21 squad and made his debut against Romania. During the 2009 European Championship qualifying
he mostly played at right back as Nedum Onuoha
and captain Steven Taylor were preferred in central defence. He scored his first U-21 international goal in a 3–3 draw against Sweden in the semi finals of the 2009 U21 European Championship, finishing off Milner's inswinging corner barely a minute after kick-off.
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
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, currently playing for 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...
club Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
. He began his career with the famous Southampton youth academy playing alongside Theo Walcott
Theo Walcott
Theo James Walcott is an English footballer of Jamaican descent who plays for Arsenal and the England national team. Walcott is a product of the Southampton F.C. Academy. He is a striker who is usually deployed on the right wing as a wide forward to exploit his speed...
and Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale
Gareth Frank Bale is a Welsh footballer who plays for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Wales national team. Bale began his professional career with Southampton in 2005 and was transferred to Tottenham two years later...
before moving to local rivals 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...
and later to Coventry City after several loan spells. He is a versatile defender who can play all across the back four, though his main position is usually centre or right back.
Southampton
Cranie attended Buckler's Mead Community SchoolBucklers Mead
Bucklers Mead Community School is a secondary school and specialist Technology College in Yeovil, Somerset, England. It has 985 students between the ages of 11 and 16....
in Yeovil, Somerset between the years 1998 and 2003 after completing his primary school education at Birchfield Community School.
He was a member of Southampton
Southampton 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...
's youth team that reached the final of the FA Youth Cup in 2005, losing on aggregate to Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
.
In 2005, Cranie spent time on loan at 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....
, making three appearances for the club.
On 7 November 2006, he joined Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
on loan until January. After spending 2 months back with Southampton, on 2 March 2007 he returned to Yeovil on loan until Easter. He made his first and only 2006–07 appearance for Saints in the second leg of the play-off semi-final against 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...
where he acquitted himself well although his side were defeated on penalties.
Portsmouth
Cranie signed for PortsmouthPortsmouth 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...
on 26 June 2007, where he rejoined his former manager Harry Redknapp
Harry Redknapp
Henry James "Harry" Redknapp is a former English footballer who has enjoyed a long career in football management starting in 1983 with Bournemouth. He is the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur....
.
He made his Portsmouth debut in the first home game of the 2007–08 season against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
on 15 August 2007 where he had a solid performance at right back.
On 6 October, after three appearances for Portsmouth, Cranie agreed to join Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
on a three month loan. QPR, bottom of the Championship, were interested in Cranie when he was with the Saints. His loan was ended, however, due to suffering a broken leg after just six appearances for the London side. In September 2008 he joined Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
on loan until the end of the year.
Cranie returned to Portsmouth in January 2009 and made appearances in two FA Cup matches.
On 12 August 2009, 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...
agreed to sell Cranie to Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
for an undisclosed fee.
Coventry City
On 13 August 2009, Cranie completed his transfer to Coventry CityCoventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-year contract with the 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...
club.
Cranie scored his first career goal in Coventry's 3–2 home win against Sheffield United on 15 September 2009. The goal was a flicked header at the near post from a corner and turned out to be the match winner as he gave Coventry a 3–1 lead.
International career
Cranie was called up to the U-20s for the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship2003 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in United Arab Emirates between November 27 and December 19, 2003. The 2003 championship was the 14th contested...
alongside James Milner
James Milner
Milner was described as a "first class" student at his school; he left with 11 GCSEs and an award for his performance in physical education. Milner also showed talent in cricket, sprinting and long-distance running...
, Andrew Taylor
Andrew Taylor (footballer born 1986)
Andrew Derek Taylor is an English footballer who plays for Cardiff City as a left wingback. He has previously played for Middlesbrough, Bradford City and Watford on loan.-Club career:Taylor was born in Hartlepool, County Durham...
and Steven Taylor
Steven Taylor (footballer)
Steven Vincent Taylor is an English footballer, currently playing for Premier League club Newcastle United. He is a versatile central defender who can play at right back or, on rare occasions, at left back...
as the youngest players in the squad. He made only one appearance as England crashed out after finishing at the bottom of their group. On 16 August 2007 Cranie was called up for the England U-21 squad and made his debut against Romania. During the 2009 European Championship qualifying
2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Qualification Group 3
The teams competing in Group 3 of the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championships qualifying competition are Bulgaria, England, Montenegro, Portugal, and Republic of Ireland.-Standings:Key:...
he mostly played at right back as Nedum Onuoha
Nedum Onuoha
Chinedum "Nedum" Onuoha is an English-Nigerian footballer. He currently plays for Manchester City. He is a defender, typically a centre back, but he can also play at right back or left back.-Biography:...
and captain Steven Taylor were preferred in central defence. He scored his first U-21 international goal in a 3–3 draw against Sweden in the semi finals of the 2009 U21 European Championship, finishing off Milner's inswinging corner barely a minute after kick-off.