 Westcarr pictured during his time atNottingham Forest | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Craig Naptali Westcarr[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1985-01-29)29 January 1985 (age 40)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Nottingham, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Forward /Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sherwood Colliery | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2001 | Nottingham Forest | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2005 | Nottingham Forest | 23 | (1) |
| 2004–2005 | →Lincoln City (loan) | 6 | (1) |
| 2005 | →Milton Keynes Dons (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | Cambridge United | 31 | (8) |
| 2006–2009 | Kettering Town | 102 | (23) |
| 2009–2011 | Notts County | 87 | (21) |
| 2011–2013 | Chesterfield | 53 | (10) |
| 2012 | →Walsall (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | Walsall | 59 | (19) |
| 2014–2015 | Portsmouth | 33 | (6) |
| 2015–2016 | Mansfield Town | 24 | (3) |
| 2016 | →Southport (loan) | 11 | (2) |
| 2016–2018 | Alfreton Town | 75 | (24) |
| 2018 | Kettering Town | 0 | (0) |
| 2018 | Boston United | 6 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Matlock Town | 20 | (5) |
| 2019–2020 | Grantham Town | 30 | (11) |
| 2020–2021 | Newark | 0 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Hucknall Town | 94 | (73[2]) |
| 2023–2024 | Sherwood Colliery | 48 | (33[2]) |
| 2024 | Clay Cross Town | 1 | (0[2]) |
| 2024–2025 | Eastwood | 39 | (10[2]) |
| 2025– | Sherwood Colliery | 9 | (8[3][2]) |
| International career | |||
| England U15 | |||
| 2000 | England U16 | ||
| 2001 | England U17 | ||
| 2002 | England U18 | 4 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:46, 23 August 2018 (UTC) | |||
Craig Naptali Westcarr (born 29 January 1985) is an English professionalfootballer who plays as astriker forSherwood Colliery.
He began his career atNottingham Forest, becoming the youngest player ever to play for the club when he made his first team debut in October 2001 at the age of 16. He was loaned out toLincoln City andMilton Keynes Dons in 2005, before he leftthe Football League to spend the 2005–06 season in theConference withCambridge United. He then spent three seasons withKettering Town, helping the club to win theConference North title in 2007–08. He signed withNotts County in May 2009, and helped the club to win theLeague Two title in2009–10. He was sold on toChesterfield in August 2011, and won theFootball League Trophy with the club in2012, scoring a goal in the final. He joinedWalsall, initially on loan, in November 2012. He finished as the club's top-scorer in the 2013–14 campaign, but was released in May 2014. On 17 June 2014 Westcarr joined Portsmouth on a free transfer after leaving Walsall, penning a two-year contract. At the start of the 2021–22 season Westcarr signed for Hucknall Town on a free transfer from Newark Town. Craig Westcarr signed for Sherwood Colliery from Hucknall Town during the preseason of the 2023/2024 season.
He represented England atunder-15,under-16,under-17 andunder-18 level.
Born inNottingham,Nottinghamshire,[1] Westcarr played forNottingham Forest as a youth, and became theyoungest player to ever play for the club, aged 16, when he came on forDavid Johnson 83 minutes into a 1–0 win overBurnley at theCity Ground on 13 October 2001.[4] He made a further sevenFirst Division appearances in the2001–02 under the stewardship ofPaul Hart.
He played 13 games in the2002–03 campaign, scoring his first goal in senior football on 4 May, in a 2–2 draw withRotherham United atMillmoor.[5] However, he made only four appearances in the2003–04 campaign, and dropped out of the first team picture under new managerJoe Kinnear.
He joinedLeague Two clubLincoln City on loan in December 2004.[6] He scored on his debut forKeith Alexander's "Imps" on 1 January, the only goal of the game withBury atSincil Bank. He played five further games before returning to Nottingham at the end of the month. He spent April 2005 on loan atDanny Wilson'sMilton Keynes Dons, failing to score in four substitute appearances during his time atStadium mk. He was one of 12 players released by Forest in May 2005 after the club were relegated out of theChampionship underGary Megson.[7]
Westcarr joinedConference National clubCambridge United on a short-term contract in September 2005 after impressing during a trial period.[8] He scored eight goals in 34 matches in the2005–06 season asRob Newman's "U's" posted a 12th-place finish. He chose to leave theAbbey Stadium in May 2006 after rejecting the offer of a permanent contract.[9]
Westcarr signed withConference North clubKettering Town in May 2006.[10] The "Poppies" finished the2006–07 campaign in second place, but were denied promotion after losing toFarsley Celtic in the play-off semi-finals.
He was moved out to the wing by managerMark Cooper for the2007–08 season, and helped the club to win promotion as divisional champions. In May 2008 Kettering reportedConference Premier sideStevenage Borough tothe Football Association and Conference for allegedly making an illegal approach to Westcarr.[11] He featured during pre-season for Stevenage, before he returned to Kettering for the start of the new campaign.[12]
Westcarr scored twice in theFA Cup Fourth Round againstPremier League sideFulham as Kettering twice pulled level before losing 4–2.[13] He was named as the Conference North's Player of the Month for March 2008.[14] He ended the2008–09 season with eight goals in 45 games, but was released by Kettering in May 2009.[15]
Westcarr joinedIan McParland'sLeague Two sideNotts County in May 2009.[16] Off the pitch the club became unstable, as McParland was replaced byHans Backe and thenSteve Cotterill as an unknown investment company took control of the club. On the pitch Westcarr remained a mainstay as the club won promotion as league champions. He scored 11 goals in 50 games, including a hat-trick againstHereford United in a 5–0 win atMeadow Lane on 27 February.[17] He signed a new two-year deal with the "Magpies" in June 2010.[18]
He continued to be a key player for the club under three more different manager –Craig Short,Paul Ince andMartin Allen – in the2010–11 season, scoring 12 goals in 41League One games for County. On 8 January 2011, he scored the opening goal pastPremier League sideSunderland in anFA Cup giant-killing victory at theStadium of Light.[19]
Westcarr signed a two-year contract withJohn Sheridan'sChesterfield in August 2011 after moving for an undisclosed fee (reported as £70,000).[20][21] He hit 11 goals in 43 appearances for the "Spireties" in the2011–12 season as the club were relegated out ofLeague One. Despite suffering in the league, the club found success in theFootball League Trophy bybeatingSwindon Town 2–0 atWembley Stadium; Westcarr replacedJack Lester after 37 minutes and scored the second goal of the game deep into injury-time.[22]
He was transfer-listed by new managerPaul Cook in November 2012, along withNeal Trotman.[23] He scored three goals in 18 appearances in the first half of the2012–13 season before he left theProact Stadium after his contract was cancelled by mutual agreement in January 2013.[24]
Westcarr joinedLeague One clubWalsall on a temporary loan deal in November 2012.[25] He signed a permanent deal with Walsall in January after he was released by Chesterfield.[26][27] He scored his first goal for the "Saddlers" at theBescot Stadium in a 3–1 win against nearbyShrewsbury Town on 2 March.[28] He then continued his fine form by scoring a 30-yard thunderbolt against fellow play-off hopefulsTranmere Rovers 10 days later,[29] which won the club's Goal of the Season award.[30] He signed a new one-year contract in July 2013.[31]
Westcarr started the2013–14 season well in another game against Tranmere, bagging a brace and creating a goal in a 3–1 home victory over the Merseyside club.[32] He finished the season asthe club's top-scorer with 17 goals in 48 appearances. However, he was released by managerDean Smith in May 2014.[33] Smith later explained his decision of releasing Westcarr as for the best.[34]
On 17 June 2014 Westcarr signed a two-year deal with League Two sidePortsmouth.[35] Westcarr scored his first goal forPortsmouth on 19 August 2014 in a 2–0 league victory overNorthampton atFratton Park.[36]
Westcarr won caps for theEngland under-15,under-16,under-17 andunder-18s.[37] He played in the2001 UEFA European Under-16 Championship, where England finished fourth.
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Nottingham Forest | 2001–02[39] | First Division | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 2002–03[40] | First Division | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2003–04[41] | First Division | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2004–05[42] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | ||
| Lincoln City (loan) | 2004–05[42] | League Two | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Milton Keynes Dons (loan) | 2004–05[42] | League One | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Cambridge United | 2005–06[43] | Conference National | 31 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[a] | 0 | 34 | 8 | |
| Kettering Town | 2006–07 | Conference North | ? | ? | ? | ? | — | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| 2007–08 | Conference North | ? | ? | ? | ? | — | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||
| 2008–09[44] | Conference Premier | 39 | 4 | 5 | 4 | — | 1[b] | 0 | 45 | 8 | ||
| Notts County | 2009–10[45] | League Two | 42 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 1 | 50 | 11 |
| 2010–11[46] | League One | 41 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 49 | 13 | |
| 2011–12[47] | League One | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| Total | 87 | 21 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 104 | 25 | ||
| Chesterfield | 2011–12[47] | League One | 38 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[a] | 3 | 43 | 11 |
| 2012–13[48] | League Two | 15 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 18 | 3 | |
| Total | 53 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 61 | 14 | ||
| Walsall | 2012–13[48] | League One | 24 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 5 |
| 2013–14[49] | League One | 43 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1[a] | 0 | 48 | 17 | |
| Total | 67 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 72 | 22 | ||
| Portsmouth | 2014–15[50] | League Two | 33 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 1 | 37 | 7 |
| Mansfield Town | 2015–16[51] | League Two | 24 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 1 | 27 | 4 |
| Southport (loan) | 2015–16[51] | National League | 11 | 2 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | ||
| Alfreton Town | 2016–17[52] | National League North | 39 | 13 | 3 | 3 | — | 2[b] | 0 | 44 | 16 | |
| 2017–18[52] | National League North | 19 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 19 | 9 | ||
| Total | 58 | 22 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 63 | 25 | ||
| Career total | 436 | 97 | 26 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 16 | 6 | 490 | 117 | ||
Kettering Town
Notts County
Chesterfield
Individual
