Stephen Crainey

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stephen Crainey
Personal information
Full name	Stephen Crainey
Date of birth	June 20, 1981
Place of birth	Glasgow, Scotland
Height	5ft 9inch (1.80m)
Nickname	The Crane
Position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Leeds United F.C.
Number	3
Youth clubs
	Celtic
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
1997-04 2004 2004-	Celtic Southampton Leeds United	41 (0) 5 (0) 48 (0)
National team**
2002-2004	Scotland	6 (0)
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25/11/2006. ** National team caps and goals correct as of 19/11/2006.

Stephen Crainey (born June 22, 1981 in Glasgow) is a Scottish footballer, who currently plays for Leeds United. He previously played for Southampton F.C. and Celtic.

Crainey is a left back who has been capped at under-21 level by Scotland. He was signed from Southampton for £200,000 in August 2005, having joined them from boyhood favourites Celtic in 2003. This was Leeds United's first cash signing since relegation from the Premiership in May 2005.

Crainey was a regular at the start of the 2006-07 campaign under former manager Kevin Blackwell, but has played less regularly following Blackwell's departure on September 20th 2006. Crainey featured in the heavy defeats that quickly ended John Carver's hopes of becoming the permanent Leeds manager. When new boss Dennis Wise took over he dropped Crainey in favour of Eddie Lewis and, later, other options at left back. Crainey later regained his place but it is expected that Wise will seek to sign a replacement left back in January 2007 when the transfer window reopens. Despite having not many chances at Leeds, it has been rumoured that Tadcaster Magnets and Inverness Caledonion Thistle want him.

Leeds United A.F.C. - Current Squad
2 Kelly | 3 Crainey | 4 Douglas | 5 Ehiogu | 7 Westlake | 9 Healy | 10 Horsfield | 11 Lewis | 15 Richardson | 16 Einarsson | 17 Carole | 18 Nicholls | 19 Heath | 20 Foxe | 21 Derry | 22 Moore | 23 Stack | 24 Rui Marques | 25 Cresswell | 26 Kilgallon | 27 Kandol | 28 Blake | 31 Warner | 32 Beckford | 33 Howson | 34 Bayly | 35 Madden | 36 Lund | 42 Rose | -- Hird | -- Rothery | Manager: Wise