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Craig Disley

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Craig Disley
Disley playing for Grimsby Town in 2011
Personal information
Full name Craig Edward Disley[1]
Date of birth (1981-08-24) 24 August 1981 (age 43)[1]
Place of birth Worksop, England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
0000–1999 Mansfield Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2004 Mansfield Town 141 (16)
2004–2009 Bristol Rovers 203 (25)
2009–2011 Shrewsbury Town 42 (3)
2011–2017 Grimsby Town 234 (34)
2017–2019 Alfreton Town 34 (0)
2018–2019 → Cleethorpes Town (loan) 36 (1)
2019–2021 Barton Town 27 (0)
2022 Cleethorpes Town 0 (0)
Total 717 (79)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:10, 3 August 2018 (UTC)

Craig Edward Disley (born 24 August 1981) is an English football coach and former professional footballer.

Primarily a box-to-box central midfielder, he began his professional career at Mansfield Town in 1999 where he started as a youngster, and established himself in the "Stags" first team in the 2001–02 season, helping them gain promotion into the Second Division. He then decided to join Bristol Rovers in July 2004, and helped the "Gas" to win promotion out of League Two in the 2007 Football League Two play-off final. Deemed surplus to requirements, he joined Shrewsbury Town in May 2009, but injury problems though no fault of his own meant he didn't hold a regular place in the team. He joined Grimsby Town in June 2011, and became a linchpin in their midfield over the next 5 years, helping Grimsby to win promotion out of the National League in the 2016 National League play-off final at Wembley Stadium. Having been released by Grimsby after a successful 6 years with the club, he joined Alfreton Town in the National League North for the next two years.

Playing career

[edit]

Mansfield Town

[edit]

Born in Worksop, Nottinghamshire,[1] Disley came through the youth ranks at Mansfield Town, and was promoted to the club's first team in the summer of 1999 under the management of Bill Dearden.[2] He made his debut on 23 September 1999 in a 4–0 victory over Shrewsbury Town, coming on as a 67th-minute substitute for Michael Sissons, also picking up his 1st yellow card within 3 minutes.[3] He went on to make a further five appearances in his first season at Field Mill.[4]

During the 2001–02 season Disley scored his first and second career goals in a 2–3 away win over Cheltenham Town on 25 August 2001, Liam Lawrence providing both corners as Disley opened the scoring for the Stags in the 29th minute with a header, before adding a second in the 47th minute with another header.[5] Disley earned promotion into the Second Division with Mansfield in 2001–02 under the stewardship of Stuart Watkiss.[6] By the end of the 2002–03 season Mansfield had been relegated back down to the fourth tier of English football.[7]

Bristol Rovers

[edit]

Disley signed with Bristol Rovers in July 2004 on a two-year contract.[8] The midfielder became a major part of the promotion campaign during the 2006–07 season and his good form continued into the 2007–08 season, when he scored nine times, including last-minute winners against Oldham Athletic[9] and at Millwall.[10]

Shrewsbury Town

[edit]

On 5 May 2009, Disley was told that he was free to talk to other clubs as Bristol Rovers deemed him surplus to requirements.[11] On 4 June he signed for Shrewsbury Town on a two-year contract.[12] On 22 February 2010, Disley broke his ankle, which ruled him out for the rest of the 2009–10 season.[13]

He was released on 23 May 2011, after two years with Shrewsbury.[14]

Grimsby Town

[edit]

On 23 June 2011, Conference Premier side Grimsby Town announced they had offered Disley a contract.[15][16] On 24 June, he completed move to Grimsby a two-year contract.[17] On 15 October 2011, Disley scored his first goal for Grimsby in the 2–1 defeat at York City, a cross from Rob Duffy for Disley to loop a firm header over keeper Michael Ingham on four minutes, he also acquired his 4th yellow card of the season after a poor challenge on Jason Walker.[18]

On 11 August 2012, Disley scored the opening goal of the season for Grimsby in the 1–1 draw against Southport on 74 minutes, an Aswad Thomas cross from the left by-line was parried by goalkeeper McMillan straight into the path of Disley, scoring from close range.[19]

Disley's goal tally reached double figures in the 2013–14 season and he was Grimsby's second top scorer, with 11 league goals, and a goal in the 3–2 FA Cup defeat to Huddersfield Town.[20] He also scored against Gateshead in both legs of the play-off semi finals, however this was not enough to prevent Gateshead progressing to the final.[21][22]

He missed just two league games of the 2014–15 season and he was Grimsby's third top scorer, with nine league goals as Paul Hurst's Grimsby came third in the Conference Premier, and secured a play-off spot.[23]

On 26 May 2015, Disley was the first player commit his future to Grimsby for the 2015–16 season, signing a new one-year deal.[24] Disley played in Grimsby's 3–1 victory over Forest Green Rovers in the 2016 National League play-off final at Wembley Stadium, seeing Grimsby promoted into League Two after a six-year absence from the Football League.[25][26]

On 27 May 2016, Disley agreed to a new one-year contract with the newly promoted club.[27]

After making 32 appearances and scoring three goals for Grimsby in the 2016–17 season he was released by the club on 9 May 2017.[28][29] Grimsby Town director John Fenty released a statement following Disley's release; he said: "The club will be arranging a special benefit (testimonial) game for Craig in due course, an opportunity for good many like-minded fans to have the opportunity express their respect for a true Town legend."[30]

On 1 November 2017 Disley and his All Star team were defeated 7–2 by the current Grimsby Town team in his testimonial game. Disley's team included former Town players such as Shaun Pearson, Lenell John-Lewis, Liam Hearn, Aristote Nsiala, Nathan Arnold and Michael Boulding. With goals coming from Disley himself and Ross Hannah.[31]

Alfreton Town

[edit]

Disley signed for National League North side Alfreton Town on a two-year deal on 1 June 2017.[32] Manager John McDermott said: "It was a fantastic signing for us and we fought off stiff competition from higher clubs to land his signature."[33]

On 7 August 2018 Disley signed for Cleethorpes Town on season-long loan.[34]

Barton Town

[edit]

Disley signed for Barton Town at the start of the 2019–20 season.[35]

On 12 June 2021, Disley announced his retirement from football.[36]

Coaching career

[edit]

In the summer of 2018 as well as his playing duties Disley began coaching the U16 team at former club Grimsby Town.[37]

On 19 November 2022, Disley returned to Cleethorpes Town as assistant manager to his former Grimsby teammate Nathan Arnold.[38] On 22 November 2022, due to a shortage of players for a match against North Shields, Disley came out of retirement and was named as a substitute.[39]

Arnold and Disley left the club in March 2023 via mutual consent.[40]

Style of play

[edit]

An energetic box-to-box central midfielder with a good engine who can contribute with goals, he can also play out in a wider midfield position.[16]

Career statistics

[edit]
As of match played 16 December 2017
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Mansfield Town 1999–2000[4] Third Division 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
2000–01[41] Third Division 24 0 1 0 0 0 1[a] 0 26 0
2001–02[42] Third Division 36 7 2 0 1 0 0 0 39 7
2002–03[43] Second Division 42 4 2 0 1 0 0 0 45 4
2003–04[44] Third Division 34 5 4 0 0 0 4[b] 0 42 5
Total 141 16 10 0 2 0 5 0 158 16
Bristol Rovers 2004–05[45] League Two 28 4 1 0 1 0 5[a] 1 35 5
2005–06[46] League Two 42 8 3 0 1 0 1[a] 0 47 8
2006–07[47] League Two 45 4 5 1 1 0 10[c] 1 61 6
2007–08[48] League One 44 6 6 2 2 1 0 0 52 9
2008–09[49] League One 44 3 1 0 1 0 1[a] 0 47 3
Total 203 25 16 3 6 1 17 2 242 31
Shrewsbury Town 2009–10[50] League Two 18 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 19 1
2010–11[51] League Two 24 2 1 0 2 0 2[a] 0 29 2
Total 42 3 1 0 3 0 2 0 48 3
Grimsby Town 2011–12[52] Conference Premier 44 1 5 0 — 3[d] 0 52 1
2012–13[52] Conference Premier 40 7 1 0 — 10[e] 2 51 9
2013–14[52] Conference Premier 39 9 5 1 — 6[f] 2 50 12
2014–15[52] Conference Premier 40 9 2 0 — 6[g] 0 48 9
2015–16[52] National League 43 6 3 0 — 7[h] 0 53 6
2016–17[28] League Two 28 2 1 0 0 0 3[a] 1 32 3
Total 234 34 17 1 0 0 35 5 286 40
Alfreton Town 2017–18[52] National League North 16 0 0 0 — 0 0 16 0
Barton Town 2019–20 NCEFL Premier 19 0 2 0 — 3[i] 2 24 2
2020–21 NCEFL Premier 8 0 1 0 — 1[j] 0 10 0
Total 27 0 3 0 — 4 2 34 2
Career total 663 78 47 4 11 1 63 9 784 92
  1. ^ a b c d e f Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
  2. ^ One appearance in the Football League Trophy, three in Third Division play-offs
  3. ^ Seven appearances in Football League Trophy, three appearances and one goal in League Two play-offs
  4. ^ Appearances in FA Trophy
  5. ^ Eight appearances and two goals in FA Trophy, two appearances in Conference Premier play-offs
  6. ^ Four appearances in FA Trophy, two appearances and two goals in Conference Premier play-offs
  7. ^ Three appearances in FA Trophy, three in Conference Premier play-offs
  8. ^ Four appearances in FA Trophy, three in National League play-offs
  9. ^ 2 appearances in FA Vase and one appearance in League Cup
  10. ^ Appearance(s) in FA Vase

Honours

[edit]

Mansfield Town

Bristol Rovers

Grimsby Town

Individual

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 120. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
  2. ^ "Manager Profile – Billy Dearden". League Managers Association. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  3. ^ "Mansfield 4–0 Shrewsbury". Stagsnet. 24 September 1999. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Games played by Craig Disley in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Cheltenham 2–3 Mansfield". Stagsnet. 25 August 2001. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Mansfield on the up". BBC Sport. 20 April 2002. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  7. ^ "Mansfield Town – Review of the season 2002/2003". Stagsnet. 31 May 2003. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Disley relishes Rovers move". BBC Sport. 28 June 2004. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  9. ^ "Bristol Rovers 1–0 Oldham". BBC Sport. 12 February 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  10. ^ "Millwall 0–1 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 1 March 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  11. ^ "Trollope explains quartet's exit". BBC Sport. 6 May 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  12. ^ "Shrews sign Disley from Pirates". BBC Sport. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  13. ^ "Disley despair as break confirmed". Shropshire Star. 23 February 2010. Archived from the original on 27 April 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  14. ^ "New club search concerns midfielder Craig Disley". BBC Sport. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  15. ^ "Disley in talks over move to Blundell Park". Grimsby Telegraph. 23 June 2011. Archived from the original on 26 June 2011. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  16. ^ a b "Mariners win race for Disley". Pichero. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  17. ^ "Midfielder Craig Disley joins Grimsby Town". BBC Sport. 26 June 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  18. ^ "York 2–1 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  19. ^ "Southport 1–1 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 11 August 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  20. ^ "Grimsby 2–3 Huddersfield". BBC Sport. 4 January 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  21. ^ "Grimsby 1–1 Gateshead". BBC Sport. 1 May 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  22. ^ "Gateshead 3–1 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 4 May 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  23. ^ "Grimsby 3–1 Aldershot". BBC Sport. 25 April 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  24. ^ "Grimsby Town captain signs new deal". BBC Sport. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  25. ^ a b "Forest Green 1–3 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  26. ^ "Grimsby secure promotion back to Football League at Wembley". Sky Sports. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  27. ^ "Grimsby Town midfielder signs new contract". BBC Sport. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  28. ^ a b "Games played by Craig Disley in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  29. ^ Findlater, James; Green, Trevor (9 May 2017). "Craig Disley and Josh Gowling confirm departures". Grimsby Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 May 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  30. ^ Findlater, James (9 May 2017). "Grimsby Town to arrange testimonial game for departing Craig Disley, director John Fenty confirms". Grimsby Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 May 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  31. ^ Claybourn, Steve (1 November 2017). "Craig Disley's benefit game 'a perfect way to say thank you' to promotion-winning squad". Grimsby Telegraph. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  32. ^ Whitney, Steve (1 June 2017). "Alfreton Snap Up Former Mariner". Pitchero. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  33. ^ "Reds sign Disley". Alfreton Town F.C. 1 June 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  34. ^ "Former Grimsby Town captain Craig Disley signs for Cleethorpes Town - Grimsby Live". Grimsbylive. 7 August 2018.
  35. ^ "► NonLeagueDaily.com | Non League News and Interviews for 2021". Archived from the original on 11 July 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  36. ^ Piercy, James (12 June 2021). "Former Bristol Rovers favourite pens emotional farewell as hangs up his boots after 22 years". Bristollive. Bristol Post.
  37. ^ Schoolboys training timetables released gtfcacademy.com Archived 7 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine
  38. ^ "Cleethorpes Town (Official) - The club are delighted to announce as part of Nathan Arnold's new back room staff Craig Disley! Craig is in as Nathan's assistant manager initially on a short term basis until Christmas. Here's what the gaffer had to say I'm delighted to bring Craig Disley back to the football club as part of my management team. Diz (Craig) will take up the assistant manager role on a short term basis initially, with the possibility of extending beyond Christmas. He is a great person, possesses real leadership qualities and is someone who is very well respected. Craig will be in place from Tuesday next week WELCOME BACK DIS! | Facebook". www.facebook.com.
  39. ^ "North Shields 0 Cleethorpes Town 0".
  40. ^ "Club Statement - Nathan Arnold".
  41. ^ "Games played by Craig Disley in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  42. ^ "Games played by Craig Disley in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  43. ^ "Games played by Craig Disley in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  44. ^ "Games played by Craig Disley in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  45. ^ "Games played by Craig Disley in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  46. ^ "Games played by Craig Disley in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  47. ^ a b "Games played by Craig Disley in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  48. ^ "Games played by Craig Disley in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  49. ^ "Games played by Craig Disley in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  50. ^ "Games played by Craig Disley in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  51. ^ "Games played by Craig Disley in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  52. ^ a b c d e f "C. Disley". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  53. ^ Hughes, Ian (1 April 2007). "Bristol Rovers 2–3 Doncaster Rovers AET". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  54. ^ Alan Smith (22 May 2016). "Scott McManus strikes for Halifax to beat Grimsby in FA Trophy final". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  55. ^ "Newport duo named in Conference Premier team of the season". BBC Sport. 8 June 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  56. ^ "Grimsby Town duo named in Conference team of the year". Grimsby Telegraph. 8 June 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2016. [permanent dead link‍]
  57. ^ "Rovers players in team of the season". Bristol Rovers. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  58. ^ "Skipper Craig Disley named Player of the Month". Grimsby Telegraph. 1 April 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016. [permanent dead link‍]
  59. ^ "Disley Wins March Player Award". The National League. 1 April 2016. Archived from the original on 14 November 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
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