Craig Bryson

Craig Bryson

Bryson playing for Kilmarnock
Personal information
Full name	Craig James Bryson
Date of birth	(1986-11-06) 6 November 1986
Place of birth	Rutherglen, Scotland
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Playing position	Central Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Derby County
Number	4
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2003–2007	Clyde	95	(8)
2004	→ East Kilbride Thistle (loan)	8	(2)
2007–2011	Kilmarnock	118	(12)
2011–	Derby County	107	(23)
National team‡
2006	Scotland U21[1]	1	(0)
2010–	Scotland[2]	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 January 2014. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 6 January 2014

Craig James Bryson (born 6 November 1986 in Rutherglen) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for English Championship side Derby County. Bryson plays as a midfielder and describes himself as a "box-to-box central midfielder, who will always give 100% for the team."^[3]

Club career

Clyde

Bryson signed a professional contract with Clyde at the beginning of season 2003–04, though he didn't make a first team appearance, and was loaned out to junior outfit East Kilbride Thistle for the latter part of the season. He made a big impression in his time at East Kilbride, winning the club's Young Player of the Year award.^[4] Bryson made his first team debut for Clyde in a Scottish First Division match against Raith Rovers on 14 August 2004, and scored a goal after 4 minutes, in a match Clyde won 3–2.^[5] He was rewarded with a new contract in November 2004.^[4] His good form at club level saw him called up to the Scotland under-19 team for a friendly against Germany.^[6] In February 2004, Bryson scored in a 2–1 victory over Ross County in a Scottish Cup replay, which set up a quarter-final tie against Celtic, the team he supported as a boy.^[7] Bryson started against Celtic, and thought he had scored after hitting the back of the net from a long range strike, but this goal was controversially ruled out after the referee had blown his whistle to award a free kick to Clyde. Celtic went on to win 5–0.^[8] Bryson continued his good form over the season, winning him Clyde's Young Player of the Year Award for 2004–05.^[9]

During 2005–06, Bryson scored goals against both halves of the Old Firm. In September 2005, he scored Clyde's equalising goal against Rangers in a Scottish League Cup tie at Ibrox Stadium, in a 5–2 extra time defeat.^[10][11] In January 2006, Bryson scored the opener in the famous 2–1 Scottish Cup win over Celtic, the game in which Roy Keane made his Celtic debut.^[12] He was then linked with moves to Celtic and Tottenham Hotspur,^[13] and was called up to the Scotland under-21 side.^[14]

In October 2006, Bryson scored in a 3–1 victory over Greenock Morton in a Scottish Challenge Cup semi-final, which sent Clyde to their first major final in 48 years.^[15] Bryson started the final the following month against Ross County, which Clyde lost on penalties.^[16] Bryson, along with club-mate Neil McGregor, was selected in the SPFA First Division Team of 2006–07.^[17] Bryson's contract expired at the end of the season, and in January 2007, Billy Davies, then-manager of his future club Derby County, took him on a week's trial.^[18] However, Davies decided not to sign him permanently^[3] and Bryson left Clyde at the end of the 2006–07 season, having made 114 overall appearances, scoring 12 goals.^[19]

Kilmarnock

Bryson signed for Kilmarnock in July 2007. He scored his first goals for the club in a 3–1 victory against Aberdeen.^[20] During 2008, Bryson established himself as an important first team player, and he was rewarded during December 2008 with an extension to his contract^[21] that ran until the summer of 2013.

Derby County

On 4 June 2011, it was confirmed that Kilmarnock and Derby County had agreed a fee and Bryson signed for Derby on 9 June 2011 following the re-opening of the transfer window. The fee was speculated to be £350,000, rising to £450,000 after add-on clauses.^[22] Bryson made a strong start to his Derby career, despite a pre-season disrupted by injury, scoring the winner with his first Derby goal in a 1–0 victory at Blackpool and helping the side to four straight victories from opening day – the club's best season start for 106 years. He scored his first goal at Pride Park in a 3–0 victory over Millwall.^[23] Derby enjoyed a fine first quarter to the season and found themselves fourth in the table, with manager Nigel Clough singling Bryson as the top performer of the season so far.^[23] His third goal of the season came in his man of the match performance in Derby's 3–1 win over Portsmouth,^[24] which also saw him named in the Championship team of the week.^[25] He scored against Bristol City in a 2–1 win for Derby, tapping in from close range^[26] and scored in the 1–1 reverse fixture against Bristol City, with a side-foot finish.^[27] Bryson scored his sixth goal of the season in a 2–0 win at Leeds United a 25-yard curling shot which beat Leeds 'keeper Andy Lonergan.^[28] These goals cemented Bryson's place as Derby's third top scorer during the season, behind strikers Steve Davies and Theo Robinson. Bryson was a regular in the Derby team during the season, where he missed only 3 of the 49 games Derby played. Bryson's form was rewarded by winning the fans Player of the Season award.^[29] Bryson also won the Club & Supporter's Club player of the year awards.^[30]

Bryson was a regular in the Derby side at the start of the 2012–13, however he season was disrupted by a knee injury which ruled him out of several games.^[31] Bryson return three weeks earlier than expected as he started and scored in a 2–0 win at Bristol City however Nigel Clough stated he was not fully fit and was doubt for the next game.^[31] Bryson was able to start the next three games, but missed the game at home to Middlesbrough on 1 January 2013 after picking scar tissue on his hamstring.^[32] Bryson returned to the team and mid-January and despite picking up a re-occurrence of his injury in early March, Bryson soon regained his place in the side and his performance alongside midfield partner Jeff Hendrick in Derby's 3–0 win over Bristol City on 29 March earned praise from first team coach Andy Garner.^[33] Bryson was named the 84th best player in the 2012–13 Football League Championship by the Actim Index^[34] and it was confirmed in May 2013 that the club were in talks to extend his contract at Pride Park,^[35] with Bryson signing a new three year contract later that month.^[36]

Ahead of the 2013–14 season, Bryson was expect to compete with Paul Coutts, Jeff Hendrick and Will Hughes, with Nigel Clough stating that rotation could be utilised.^[37] Bryson scored his first career hattrick in Derby's 5–1 win at Millwall on 14 September, this was also the first league hattrick by a Derby player since Paul Simpson in April 1996.^[38] In October Bryson captained Derby, in the home game against Ipswich, because of regular captain Richard Keogh's ban, scoring twice in the 4–4 draw.

International career

Bryson was capped by Scotland at U19 & U21 level, while with Clyde. Bryson won a Scotland B call up in 2009 but was later withdrawn at the request of his club manager Jim Jefferies.^[39]

On 16 November 2010, Bryson made his full international debut as a second half substitute against Faroe Islands at Pittodrie.^[40] Bryson made the squad for the friendly against the United States in May 2012, but didn't play.^[41] In 2013, Bryson was recalled to the senior squad for World Cup qualifiers against Belgium and Macedonia in September^[42] and Croatia in October,^[43] but didn't get any match time. Bryson started the friendly against Norway in Molde to gain his second cap for his country. ^[44]

Career statistics

Club

As of 30 January 2014

International

As of 06 January 2014.

^[55][56]

Honours

East Kilbride

• Club Young Player of the Year Winner: 2002–03

Clyde Football Club

• Scottish Challenge Cup Runners up. 2006–07
• Scottish First Division Runners up. 2002–03 2003–04
• Club Young Player of the Year Winner: 2004–05

Derby County Football Club

• Jack Stamps Trophy (Player of the Year) winner. 2011–12
• Club Player of the Year winner. 2011–12
• Supporter's Club Player of the Year winner. 2011–12

References

External links

• Craig Bryson career stats at Soccerbase
• Transfermarkt Profile
• Kilmarnock Profile