| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Christopher Dagnall[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1986-04-15)15 April 1986 (age 39) | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Wythenshawe Town (player-coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2003 | Tranmere Rovers[2] | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2006 | Tranmere Rovers | 39 | (7) |
| 2006 | →Rochdale (loan) | 21 | (3) |
| 2006–2010 | Rochdale | 135 | (51) |
| 2010–2012 | Scunthorpe United | 60 | (9) |
| 2012–2014 | Barnsley | 53 | (6) |
| 2012 | →Bradford City (loan) | 7 | (1) |
| 2013–2014 | →Coventry City (loan) | 6 | (1) |
| 2014–2015 | Leyton Orient | 58 | (17) |
| 2015 | Kerala Blasters | 13 | (6) |
| 2015–2016 | Hibernian | 11 | (0) |
| 2016–2018 | Crewe Alexandra | 73 | (21) |
| 2018–2019 | Bury | 17 | (2) |
| 2019 | Tranmere Rovers | 5 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | Yeovil Town | 20 | (1) |
| 2020 | Ashton United | 1 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Yeovil Town | 23 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Hanley Town | 31 | (14) |
| 2022–2023 | Stalybridge Celtic | 26 | (5) |
| 2024 | Lancaster City | 9 | (0) |
| 2025– | Wythenshawe Town | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:59, 18 October 2025 (UTC) | |||
Christopher Dagnall (born 15 April 1986) is an Englishfootballer who plays forNorthern Premier League Division One West sideWythenshawe Town, where he holds the role of player-coach.
He began his career atTranmere Rovers, where he debuted age 17 in 2003. In January 2006 he was loaned toRochdale, where he moved permanently in the summer. He scored 60 goals across all competitions for the Dale, leaving forScunthorpe United in 2010 after helping them achieve promotion toLeague One. In January 2012, he signed for Barnsley, where he struggled and was loaned toBradford City andCoventry City. He spent 18 months scoring more frequently atLeyton Orient, before moving in 2015 toKerala Blasters in theIndian Super League, leaving after one season to joinHibernian. Two years atCrewe Alexandra then followed, before he linked up with Bury in the summer of 2018. In January 2019, he rejoined his first club Tranmere Rovers.
Dagnall was born inLiverpool and played forTranmere Rovers from the age of 13 as a trainee. On 13 September 2003, at the age of 17, he was included in a matchday squad for the first time by managerRay Mathias, coming on as a late substitute forRyan Taylor in a goallessSecond Division match againstPeterborough United atPrenton Park, and had a 20-yard shot saved by their goalkeeperMark Tyler.[3] He went on to make 10 league appearances and oneLeague Cup appearance, and scored his first career goal by equalising in a 3–1 away defeat toLuton Town on 6 October.[4] Tranmere narrowly missed out on theplay-offs, finishing in eighth place.
He started the next season on 10 August 2004 by scoring his first Prenton Park goal in a 2–1 home win againstHartlepool United, where he was shown a second yellow card and was sent off for jumping into the crowd.[5] He began to score more frequently finishing the season with six goals, with Tranmere winning every game in which he scored.[6] Tranmere finished the season in third place, however they lost to Hartlepool in the play-offs.
He made several appearances at the start of the following season including hisFA Cup debut which was a 2–1 loss away to future clubBradford City. On 13 January 2006 he went on loan toRochdale ofLeague Two, originally on a temporary basis.[7] He spent the rest of the season atSpotland and scored three goals in 21 appearances, including a last-minute equaliser for a 1–1 draw atRushden & Diamonds on 15 April.[8][9]
In July 2006, Rochdale made the move permanent for an initial fee of £25,000, with managerSteve Parkin seeing Dagnall as a replacement for top scorerGrant Holt, who had signed forNottingham Forest for £300,000.[10] He made his second debut for Rochdale in a 1–0 loss at home toWalsall, coming on as a late substitute.[11] He scored regularly for Rochdale including braces againstBoston United,Wrexham and Peterborough.[12] He scored his first hat-trick in a 5–0 win at Spotland againstMacclesfield Town on 21 April 2007.[13] He ended the season with 17 league goals, finishing joint fourth top scorer in the league.[14]
In the following season he received an injury after playing just eight games, which led to a lengthy lay-off. He did not play from September 2007 until March 2008, where he marked his return with a hat-trick in a 4–1 win againstRotherham United in his first game back.[15] In May, he scored in three consecutive games which included a draw at home toShrewsbury, and in both play-off semi-final legs againstDarlington, losing the first game and winning the second a week later. The tie went to penalties which Rochdale won 5–4.[16] However Rochdale lost 3–2 in the final atWembley toStockport County.[17] He finished the season with nine league goals, despite only playing 17 games.
His first goal of the 2008–09 season came in a 3–1 home win againstBarnet.[18] On 21 October 2008 he scored his third career hat-trick in a 6–1 home win against Chester.[19] On 3 March 2009 Dagnall received the second red card of his career, coming in a 2–1 away defeat to Barnet.[20] He finished the season with 10 goals, helping Rochdale to another play-off semi-final, where they were beaten byGillingham.[21]
Dagnall scored six goals in the first 10 league games at the start of the 2009–10 season, including a brace againstTorquay United on 12 September 2009.[22] On 27 March 2010 he scored another hat-trick, this time in a 4–1 win againstGrimsby Town.[23] On 17 April 2010 Rochdale beatNorthampton Town 1–0 at home to secure their first promotion for 41 years.[24] He finished the season with 20 goals, his highest ever total.[25]
On 2 June 2010, Dagnall joinedChampionship sideScunthorpe United on a free transfer, signing an initial three-year deal.[26] He made his debut on 7 August in a 2–1 win againstReading at theMadjeski Stadium.[27] His first Scunthorpe goals came in the League Cup second round as he scored two goals in a 4–2 win againstSheffield Wednesday on 24 August.[28] His first league goals came two weeks later as he again scored twice, this time in a 4–0 away win againstSheffield United atBramall Lane.[29] His three other goals in his first season with Scunthorpe came in wins againstPreston,Burnley and Nottingham Forest.[30] Scunthorpe were relegated at the end of the season, finishing bottom of the Championship.
He stayed with Scunthorpe as they started the season inLeague One, and scored his first goal of the season in a 2–0 League Cup away win againstAccrington Stanley on 9 August 2011.[31] He followed this up with a goal againstOldham Athletic a week later.[32] In the next round of the League Cup, he scored againstPremier League sideNewcastle United, as his team lost 2–1 after extra time atGlanford Park.[33] In October, he scored in back-to-back games in the space of four days, in a 2–2 draw againstHuddersfield and a 4–2 win against former club Tranmere.[34][35] His final game was a 2–1 away win against Hartlepool on 2 January 2012.[36]
On 6 January 2012, Dagnall signed for Championship clubBarnsley for an undisclosed fee on a two-and-a-half-year contract. He had formerly played under their managerKeith Hill and his assistantDavid Flitcroft at Rochdale, with Hill saying: "He's definitely value for money and the type of player that fits in perfectly to what we're trying to achieve at this club"[37] He made his debut on eight days later in a 2–1 away win againstLeicester City.[38] He made nine appearances before going out on loan toLeague Two sideBradford City on 16 March.[39]
On 16 March, Dagnall joinedBradford City on loan until the end of the season.[40] He made his debut the following day againstAldershot Town.[41] Bradford managerPhil Parkinson said: "I'm really pleased to get him on board. He's a good signing for us."[39] On 24 March he made his 300th career appearance in a 2–2 draw againstGillingham atValley Parade.[42] On 27 March he scored his first goal for Bradford in a home game againstCrawley Town, he was also named man of the match.[43]
He scored his first goals for Barnsley when he netted twice in a League Cup tie against former side Rochdale on 12 August 2012.[44] On 12 January 2013, he scored his first league goals for Barnsley, both of them in a 2–0 win againstLeeds United.[45]
On 28 November 2013, Dagnall signed forCoventry City on an emergency loan until 5 January 2014.[46] He made his Sky Blues debut two days later away toMilton Keynes Dons, equalising as they came from behind to win 3–1.[47] He was released from his contract at Barnsley, alongside defenderScott Wiseman, on 10 January 2014.[48]
Six days after his release, Dagnall signed forLeyton Orient on an 18-month contract.[49] On his debut for the Londoners atCrewe Alexandra on 18 January, he came on as a substitute forRobbie Simpson at half-time and scored twice in Orient's 2–1 win, which took them to the top of League One.[50] His six goals helped them to theplay-offs, where on 13 May, again as a substitute, he scored in a semi-final win over Peterborough (2–1, 3–2 aggregate).[51] 12 days later, in thefinal atWembley Stadium, he came on in the 76th minute in place ofKevin Lisbie, and had his attempt saved byAdam Collin as the O's lost thepenalty shootout.[52]
On 2 September 2014, Dagnall scored twice in a 3–2 win over Peterborough in the first round of theFootball League Trophy.[53] He was sent off on 29 November in a 3–1 loss at former team Bradford, receiving a straight red card for a foul onBilly Knott.[54] With 11 goals, he was the team's top scorer that season, which ended in relegation to League Two.[55]
Rejecting an offer to extend his contract, Dagnall left Orient to joinIndian Super League sideKerala Blasters on 10 June 2015, saying "I've enjoyed my 18 months with the club and the fans were very welcoming, but this will be a new challenge for me."[55] He replacedIain Hume, who had signed a new contract withAtlético de Kolkata.
He made his debut on 6 October, as his new team beganthe season with a 3–1 win overNorthEast United FC at theJawaharlal Nehru Stadium, being replaced by compatriotSanchez Watt at half time.[56] A week later, he scored his first goal, an 83rd-minute consolation in a 2–1 loss atAtlético de Kolkata.[57] On 15 November, he scored twice in a 4–1 win at NorthEast United, his first coming after 29 seconds making it the quickest in the league's history; he set up the previous record holder, 48 seconds byMohammed Rafi againstFC Pune City.[58]
On 23 December 2015, Dagnall joinedScottish Championship teamHibernian on a short-term deal until the end of the 2015–16 season.[59][60] He made his debut on 9 January in aScottish Cup fourth round 2–0 win againstRaith Rovers.[61] Dagnall was an unused substitute as Hibernian won the2016 Scottish Cup Final.[62]
On 5 July 2016, Dagnall joinedLeague Two clubCrewe Alexandra on a two-year deal,[63] making his debut in the season's opener at Stevenage, scoring his first Crewe goal in a 3–3 draw againstHartlepool on 16 August,[64] and finishing Crewe's top scorer with 17 goals across all competitions after a final day hat-trick againstBarnet on 6 May 2017.[65] The following season, he made 37 appearances, scoring seven goals, but, on 9 May 2018, Crewe manager David Artell announced Dagnall would not be offered a new contract at the club.[66]
On 19 June 2018, he signed a one-year contract with Bury to link up once again with Shakers managerRyan Lowe, whom he had played alongside when the two had been teammates at Crewe.[67]
Dagnall was released by Bury in January 2019 and he rejoined Tranmere Rovers until the end of the 2018–19 season.[68]
On 8 October 2019, Dagnall signed forNational League sideYeovil Town.[69]
On 12 October 2020, Dagnall joinedAshton United. He made his debut the following day in a 1–0 defeat toAtherton Collieries where Dagnall was shown a straight red card for his involvement in a melee.[70] This was his only appearance for the club before the early curtailment of the season.
In November 2020, Dagnall returned to Yeovil Town on a deal until the end of the season.[71]
On 10 June 2021, Dagnall joined ninth tierMidland Premier League sideHanley Town, linking up with former-Yeovil teammateCarl Dickinson who had been appointed manager.[72]
In October 2022, Dagnall joinedNorthern Premier League sideStalybridge Celtic[73] he made his debut againstFC United of Manchester and would go on to score 5 goals in 26 appearances.
It was announced on 28 June 2024, that Chris would be linking up again with his former boss at Stalybridge Celtic, Chris Willcock atLancaster City.[74] After making 9 appearances, Chris left the club due to work commitments.[75]
Dagnall joinedWythenshawe Town as player-coach for the2025–26 season.[76]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Tranmere Rovers | 2003–04[77] | Second Division | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| 2004–05[6] | League One | 23 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 25 | 6 | |
| 2005–06[8] | League One | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Total | 39 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 7 | ||
| Rochdale (loan) | 2005–06[8] | League Two | 21 | 3 | — | — | — | 21 | 3 | |||
| Rochdale | 2006–07[78] | League Two | 37 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 1 | 42 | 18 |
| 2007–08[79] | League Two | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[c] | 2 | 19 | 9 | |
| 2008–09[80] | League Two | 39 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4[d] | 2 | 45 | 10 | |
| 2009–10[81] | League Two | 45 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 49 | 20 | |
| Total | 156 | 54 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 176 | 60 | ||
| Scunthorpe United | 2010–11[30] | Championship | 37 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | — | 41 | 7 | |
| 2011–12[82] | League One | 23 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 6 | |
| Total | 60 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 13 | ||
| Barnsley | 2011–12[82] | Championship | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | |||
| 2012–13[83] | Championship | 36 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | 42 | 10 | ||
| 2013–14[84] | Championship | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 10 | 1 | ||
| Total | 53 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | 61 | 11 | |||
| Bradford City (loan) | 2011–12[82] | League Two | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | 7 | 1 | |||
| Coventry City (loan) | 2013–14[84] | League One | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | |||
| Leyton Orient | 2013–14[84] | League One | 20 | 6 | — | — | 2[e] | 1 | 22 | 7 | ||
| 2014–15[85] | League One | 38 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 2 | 42 | 13 | |
| Total | 58 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 64 | 20 | ||
| Kerala Blasters | 2015[86] | Indian Super League | 13 | 6 | — | — | — | 13 | 6 | |||
| Hibernian | 2015–16[87] | Scottish Championship | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Crewe Alexandra | 2016–17[88] | League Two | 41 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1[f] | 1 | 45 | 17 |
| 2017–18[89] | League Two | 32 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 37 | 7 | |
| Total | 73 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 82 | 24 | ||
| Bury | 2018–19[90] | League Two | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[f] | 1 | 19 | 3 |
| Tranmere Rovers | 2018–19[90] | League Two | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| Yeovil Town | 2019–20[91] | National League | 20 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | 3[g] | 1 | 25 | 4 | |
| Ashton United | 2020–21 | NPL Premier Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Yeovil Town | 2020–21[92] | National League | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | |
| Hanley Town | 2021–22[93] | Midland League Premier Division | 31 | 14 | 7 | 3 | — | 1[h] | 0 | 38 | 17 | |
| Career total | 573 | 140 | 31 | 9 | 20 | 8 | 25 | 11 | 648 | 168 | ||
Hibernian
Bury
Tranmere Rovers
Individual
