Craig Clay

Craig Clay

Clay playing for York City in 2013
Personal information
Full name Craig William Clay[1]
Date of birth (1992-05-05) 5 May 1992[1]
Place of birth Nottingham, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Leyton Orient
Number 23
Youth career
2008–2010 Chesterfield
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Chesterfield 27 (1)
2010 → Barrow (loan) 1 (0)
2012 → Alfreton Town (loan) 4 (1)
2013–2014 York City 8 (0)
2014 FC Halifax Town 4 (0)
2014 Worksop Town 9 (0)
2014–2016 Grimsby Town 74 (5)
2016–2017 Motherwell 35 (1)
2017– Leyton Orient 2 (0)
National team
2016 England C 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:12, 9 August 2017 (UTC).

Craig William Clay (born 5 May 1992) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for National League club Leyton Orient.

Club career

Chesterfield

Born in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Clay started his career with Chesterfield's youth system in 2008 and was part of the team that won the Youth League.[3][4] He was named Chesterfield's Young Player of the Year for the 2008–09 season.[5] His first involvement with the first team came as an unused substitute in a League Two match against Torquay United on 16 January 2010.[6] He made the bench on a number occasions through the rest of 2009–10, but did not make an appearance.[6]

He signed a two-year professional contract with Chesterfield in June 2010.[7] He made his debut for the club on 18 September 2010, in a 3–0 home win over Cheltenham Town, replacing Mark Allott in the 85th minute.[8] On 2 October 2010, he scored his first professional goal with a 25 yard shot during stoppage time to earn a 5–5 draw at home to Crewe Alexandra.[8][9] On 28 October 2010, Clay joined Conference Premier club Barrow on a one-month loan with Chesterfield teammate Tendayi Darikwa.[10] His only appearance for Barrow came two days later, in a 5–0 defeat away to Rushden & Diamonds.[11] He made four appearances and scored one goal for Chesterfield in 2010–11,[8] in which the club was promoted to League One as League Two champions.[12]

Clay was loaned out by Chesterfield for a second time on 20 January 2012, joining Conference Premier club Alfreton Town on a one-month loan.[13][14] Four days later, he scored Alfreton's third goal in a 3–0 win away to Bath City on his debut with a shot from the edge of the penalty area in the 90th minute.[15][16] Clay finished the loan with one goal in four appearances.[17] He made one more appearance for Chesterfield before the end of 2011–12, which he finished with eight appearances[15] as the club was relegated to League Two in 22nd place.[18]

He signed a new one-year contract with Chesterfield in May 2012.[19] His only goal of 2012–13 came in a 6–1 win over League One team Hartlepool United in the FA Cup first round on 3 November 2012.[20] Clay had a double hernia operation in March 2013 and after returning made one more appearance before the end of the season, as an 89th-minute substitute in a 2–0 victory away to Barnet on 6 April.[20][21] He was released by Chesterfield on 29 April 2013[22] after making 23 appearances and scoring one goal in 2012–13.[20]

York City

Clay playing for York City in 2013

Clay signed for League Two club York City on 17 May 2013 on a two-year contract.[23][24] He made his debut in a 1–0 home win over Northampton Town on 3 August 2013, in the first game of 2013–14.[25] Having made 10 appearances for York,[25] Clay left the club by mutual consent on 13 January 2014, along with Jamal Fyfield.[26]

FC Halifax Town and Worksop Town

He signed for Conference Premier club FC Halifax Town on 16 January 2014 on a one-month contract[27][28] and made his debut two days later in a 1–1 home draw with Cambridge United.[17] After making four appearances for the club he was released on 24 February 2014.[29] Nearly a month later, Clay signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division club Worksop Town on 21 March 2014.[30] He made his debut the following day as an 84th-minute substitute for Shane Clarke in a 2–0 away win over Stafford Rangers.[31]

Grimsby Town

On 28 July 2014, Clay signed for Conference Premier club Grimsby Town on a one-year contract, having spent the pre-season on trial.[32] On 15 May 2016, he started for Grimsby as they beat Forest Green Rovers 3–1 at Wembley Stadium in the 2016 National League play-off Final.[33] This meant Grimsby were promoted to League Two, after a six-year absence from the Football League.[33] Clay was released when his contract expired at the end of the 2015–16 season.[34]

Motherwell

Upon his release from Grimsby, Clay joined South African Premier Division club Bidvest Wits on trial.[35] Clay then joined Scottish Premiership club Motherwell on trial,[36] playing the full 90 minutes in a 3–0 victory over East Stirlingshire in the Scottish League Cup on 26 July 2016.[37] Clay made his league debut on 6 August 2016 in a 2–1 victory away to Kilmarnock,[38] before signing a two-year contract with the club on 10 August.[39] He scored his first goal for the club on 28 December 2016, in a 2–1 win away at Inverness Caledonian Thistle.[40]

Leyton Orient

On 17 July 2017, Clay signed for newly relegated National League club Leyton Orient on a two-year contract.[41]

International career

Clay made his debut for the England C national team as a substitute in their 2–0 away win over Ukraine under-20s in the International Challenge Trophy on 22 March 2016.[42]

Career statistics

Clay playing for Chesterfield in 2011
As of match played 8 August 2017
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Chesterfield 2009–10[43] League Two 0000000000
2010–11[8] League Two 3100001[lower-alpha 1]041
2011–12[15] League One 5010101[lower-alpha 1]080
2012–13[20] League Two 19021002[lower-alpha 1]0231
Total 271311040352
Barrow (loan) 2010–11[11] Conference Premier 10———10
Alfreton Town (loan) 2011–12[17] Conference Premier 41——0041
York City 2013–14[25] League Two 80101000100
FC Halifax Town 2013–14[17] Conference Premier 40———40
Worksop Town 2013–14[44] NPL Premier Division 90———90
Grimsby Town 2014–15[17] Conference Premier 39220—6[lower-alpha 2]0472
2015–16[17] National League 35340—5[lower-alpha 3]0443
Total 74560—110915
Motherwell 2016–17[38] Scottish Premiership 3511030—391
2017–18[45] Scottish Premiership ——00—00
Total 351103000391
Leyton Orient 2017–18[17] National League 2000—0020
Career total 1648111501501959
  1. 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
  2. ↑ Three appearances in FA Trophy, three in Conference Premier play-offs
  3. ↑ Three appearances in FA Trophy, two in National League play-offs

Honours

Grimsby Town

References

  1. 1 2 "Craig Clay". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "Player details: Craig Clay". Sky Sports. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  3. ↑ "Player profile: Craig Clay". Chesterfield F.C. Archived from the original on 19 March 2013.
  4. ↑ Kelly, Tony (24 May 2013). "Craig Clay plots to bring passion to York City's central midfield". The Press. York. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  5. ↑ "Two awards for hotshot Jack". Derbyshire Times. Chesterfield. 13 May 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Chesterfield: Results/matches: 2009/10". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  7. ↑ "Contracts for five youngsters". Derbyshire Times. Chesterfield. 2 June 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Games played by Craig Clay in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  9. ↑ "Chesterfield 5–5 Crewe". BBC Sport. 2 October 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  10. ↑ "Barrow sign Clay and Darikwa on loan from Chesterfield". BBC Sport. 28 October 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  11. 1 2 Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2011). Non-League Club Directory 2012. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 34–35. ISBN 978-1-869833-70-1.
  12. ↑ "League Two: 2010/11: Latest table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  13. ↑ "Law adds Craig Clay on loan". Alfreton Town F.C. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  14. ↑ "Two more go out on loan". Derbyshire Times. Chesterfield. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  15. 1 2 3 "Games played by Craig Clay in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  16. ↑ "Bath City 0–3 Alfreton". BBC Sport. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "C. Clay". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  18. ↑ "League One: 2011/12: Latest table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  19. ↑ "Chesterfield trio agree new contracts". BBC Sport. 18 May 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 4 "Games played by Craig Clay in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  21. ↑ "The Paul Cook interview – Spireites hope to keep abreast of the Robins". Chesterfield Post. 5 March 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  22. ↑ "Chesterfield release seven players as Tommy Wright leaves". BBC Sport. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  23. ↑ "York City: Ryan Jarvis and Craig Clay join on free transfers". BBC Sport. 17 May 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  24. ↑ Kelly, Tony (18 May 2013). "Star turn Nigel Worthington tempts York City's new signings Ryan Jarvis and Craig Clay". The Press. York. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  25. 1 2 3 "Games played by Craig Clay in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  26. ↑ "Clay and Fyfield depart". York City F.C. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  27. ↑ "Duo sign for Shaymen". FC Halifax Town. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  28. ↑ "Midfielder Clay released by Town". Halifax Courier. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  29. ↑ "Craig Clay leaves FC Halifax Town". FC Halifax Town. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  30. ↑ "New signing – Craig Clay". Worksop Town F.C. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  31. ↑ "Stafford Rangers vs Worksop Town FC". Worksop Town F.C. 22 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  32. ↑ "Grimsby Town snap up Jon-Paul Pittman and Craig Clay". Grimsby Telegraph. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  33. 1 2 3 Garry, Tom (15 May 2016). "Forest Green Rovers 1–3 Grimsby Town". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  34. ↑ Wood, Liam (24 May 2016). "Grimsby Town retained list: Who are the ins and outs at Blundell Park?". Grimsby Telegraph. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  35. ↑ Crann, Joe (11 July 2016). "English midfielder arrives for Wits training". Soccer Laduma. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  36. ↑ Mullen, Scott (12 August 2016). "Craig Clay gamble pays off to land Motherwell contract". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  37. ↑ Young, Chick (26 July 2016). "Motherwell 3–0 East Stirlingshire". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  38. 1 2 "Games played by Craig Clay in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  39. ↑ "Craig Clay joins the Steelmen". Motherwell F.C. 10 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  40. ↑ "Inverness CT 1–2 Motherwell". Motherwell F.C. 29 December 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  41. ↑ "Craig Clay: Leyton Orient sign midfielder from Scottish Premiership side Motherwell". BBC Sport. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  42. ↑ "Recap: Grimsby Town's Craig Clay plays the final minutes of England C victory". Grimsby Telegraph. 23 March 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  43. ↑ "Games played by Craig Clay in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  44. ↑ "Match reports". Worksop Town F.C. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  45. ↑ "Games played by Craig Clay in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
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