 Conway playing forBlackburn Rovers in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Craig Ian Conway[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1985-05-02)2 May 1985 (age 40) | ||
| Place of birth | Irvine, Scotland | ||
| Position | Winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Caledonian Boys Club | |||
| Kilmarnock | |||
| Ayr United | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2006 | Ayr United | 61 | (7) |
| 2006–2011 | Dundee United | 137 | (13) |
| 2011–2014 | Cardiff City | 58 | (5) |
| 2013 | →Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 13 | (1) |
| 2014–2019 | Blackburn Rovers | 178 | (19) |
| 2019–2020 | Salford City | 20 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | St Johnstone | 28 | (3) |
| Total | 495 | (48) | |
| International career | |||
| 2009–2013 | Scotland | 7 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Craig Ian Conway (born 2 May 1985) is a Scottish retired professionalfootballer who played as awinger. He made seven full international appearances for theScotland national team between 2009 and 2013.
Conway started his career withAyr United before moving toScottish Premier League sideDundee United in 2006. Ayr did not receive compensation for the deal until 10 months after he left. In 2011, he moved toChampionship sideCardiff on a free transfer. In September 2013, he signed for Brighton & Hove Albion in the English Football League Championship on a three-month loan. In January 2014, Conway joinedChampionship sideBlackburn Rovers on a 2.5-year deal. After leaving Blackburn in 2019, he had a short spell with Salford City, before signing for St Johnstone in 2020.
Born inIrvine, North Ayrshire, Conway started his career with Caledonian Boys Club in Prestwick. He was signed byKilmarnock and released before later signing withAyr United, making 61 league appearances for the club and scoring seven times. Conway's good form alerted then-Dundee United managerCraig Brewster and he agreed a pre-contract deal with Conway to bring him toTannadice, with the transfer completed on 1 June 2006, with compensation decided ten months later.[2] Largely used as asubstitute under Brewster, Conway started the majority of matches underCraig Levein and assisted more goals than any other United player in2006–07. In February 2007, Conway suffered abroken foot which appeared to end his season prematurely.[3] However, Conway appeared in the final four matches of the season. Although playing at the start of the following season, it transpired that Conway was suffering similar issues and it was discovered that a bone graft was needed, ruling Conway out for the last three months of 2007.[4]
Conway returned to action in2007–08, playing three matches before being sidelined for four months, returning in December. He scored his first goal for the club a month later in the 2–1 win overKilmarnock in January[5] and two matches later, scored the third goal in the 4–1League Cup semi-final win overAberdeen.[6]
Conway signed a two-year contract extension in September 2008 to extend his time atTannadice until 2011.[7] On 15 May 2010, Conway scored two goals in aman of the match performance as United beatRoss County 3–0 in the2010 Scottish Cup Final. In April 2011, United managerPeter Houston indicated that he expected Conway to leave the club at the end of the season, due to the Terrors being unable to match his wage demands.[8] Craig was inducted into the Dundee United Hall of Fame on 23rd October 2023.
On 21 June 2011, Conway confirmed that he had agreed terms withCardiff City and that he would have a medical within the next couple of days.[9] Conway completed his move and signed a three-year contract with the Bluebirds on 23 June 2011.[10] He made his debut in a 1–0 win overWest Ham United on the opening day of theChampionship season.[11] Conway scored his first goal for Cardiff the following game againstOxford United in theFootball League Cup.[12] He then followed up his goal against Oxford with another goal againstBristol City in the league just four days later. Conway's third came as the winning goal againstHuddersfield Town, putting the Bluebirds through to the third round of the League Cup. He made his 250th career appearance in a 2–0 win overCrystal Palace on 5 November. Conway was an unused substitute atWembley in theLeague Cup Final. In April 2012, Conway was selected for the match againstWatford, but was taken off with 32 minutes played following a tackle made byJonathan Hogg, which resulted in an ankle injury and ended his season, four games early.[13]
Conway returned in time for pre-season.[14] He made his competitive return on 14 August 2012 againstNorthampton in a 2–1League Cup defeat. Following a lack of first team football during the season, Conway put in a transfer request on 23 November 2012 after starting only two games out of his four total appearances. The request was rejected by manager,Malky Mackay.[15] Conway was included in the squad for the next two games following the request and he made an appearance againstDerby County. His first goal of the season came on 2 December, where he scored the winner againstSheffield Wednesday, which ensured Cardiff beat their Club record of nine successive home wins. Following a run of successful performances, Conway withdrew his transfer request on 21 December,[16] and went on to play a crucial role in Cardiff'sChampionship-winning season, including scoring the goal that sealed the title in a 1–1 draw atTurf Moor againstBurnley in April.
On 13 September 2013, Conway joinedChampionship sideBrighton & Hove Albion on a 93-day short-term loan, running until 14 December 2013.[17] Conway scored his first and only goal in this loan period on 7 December 2013, in the 3–1 victory againstLeicester City.[18]
On 31 January 2014, Transfer Deadline Day, Conway joinedChampionship sideBlackburn Rovers on a2+1⁄2-year deal.[19] Conway scored his first goal for the club on 22 February 2014 in a 1–0 win away againstReading.[20] On 10 December 2015, Conway signed a new deal which will keep him until 2018.[21] After Blackburn were relegated to League One,[22] Conway stayed with Blackburn but was gradually dropped from the starting eleven after suffering multiple injuries and a dip in form.[23]
He entered into talks for a new contract with Blackburn at the end of the 2017–18 season which resulted in him extending his contract by another year with an option for a further twelve months.[24][25]
On 25 May 2019 Conway confirmed he would be leaving at the end of his current contract after five and a half years at Rovers.[26]
In October 2019, Conway signed forSalford City on a short-term deal.[27] His contract was later extended to the end of the 2019–20 season.[28] He was released by the club on 16 May 2020.[29] He made his début againstWalsall, providing the assist forLuke Armstrong to open the scoring in a 3–0 triumph as Salford won away for the first time in theEnglish Football League.[30]
On 31 July 2020, Conway signed for Scottish clubSt Johnstone, on a one-year deal.[31] He scored his first goals for St Johnstone when he scored twice in a 5–3 win overHamilton Academical on 17 October 2020.[32] Conway played in theFebruary 2021 Scottish League Cup Final againstLivingston atHampden Park on 28 February 2021 as Saints won the trophy for the first time with a 1–0 win.[33] He had previously scored the third goal in the 3–0 semi-final win againstHibernian, also at Hampden.[34] Conway was released by St Johnstone at the end of the2020–21 season.[35]
Conway announced his retirement in a post on hisInstagram account on 18 March 2022.[36]
Conway made his international debut underGeorge Burley on 10 October 2009 againstJapan, he started the game but Scotland lost 2–0.[37] It took him two years to make his next appearance for Scotland, which came in the2011 Nations Cup againstNorthern Ireland, this time Scotland won 3–0.[38] His third appearance for Scotland was on 11 November 2011 in a 2–1 friendly victory overCyprus inLarnaca.
Most recently, he was a substitute in the 3–2 friendly loss to England at Wembley in August 2013.[39]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Ayr United | 2002–03[40] | Scottish First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2003–04[41] | Scottish First Division | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2004–05[42] | Scottish Second Division | 23 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 28 | 5 | |
| 2005–06[43] | Scottish Second Division | 31 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 4 | |
| Total | 61 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 72 | 9 | ||
| Dundee United | 2006–07[44] | Scottish Premier League | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 34 | 0 | |
| 2007–08[45] | Scottish Premier League | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 19 | 2 | ||
| 2008–09[46] | Scottish Premier League | 36 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 42 | 5 | ||
| 2009–10[47] | Scottish Premier League | 33 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | 42 | 6 | ||
| 2010–11[48] | Scottish Premier League | 23 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 28 | 3 | |
| Total | 137 | 13 | 16 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 165 | 16 | ||
| Cardiff City | 2011–12[49] | Championship | 31 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | — | 38 | 5 | |
| 2012–13[50] | Championship | 27 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 28 | 2 | ||
| 2013–14[51] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 58 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 7 | ||
| Brighton and Hove Albion | 2013–14[51] | Championship | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 1 | |
| Blackburn Rovers | 2013–14[51] | Championship | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | 4 | |
| 2014–15[52] | Championship | 38 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 44 | 4 | ||
| 2015–16[53] | Championship | 35 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 38 | 3 | ||
| 2016–17[54] | Championship | 42 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 46 | 7 | ||
| 2017–18[55] | League One | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 28 | 2 | |
| 2018–19[56] | Championship | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 26 | 2 | ||
| Total | 178 | 19 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 200 | 22 | ||
| Salford City | 2019–20[57] | League Two | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| St Johnstone | 2020–21[58] | Scottish Premiership | 28 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | — | 35 | 4 | |
| Career total | 495 | 48 | 39 | 5 | 35 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 575 | 59 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland[59] | 2009 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 7 | 0 | |
Dundee United
Cardiff City
Blackburn Rovers
St Johnstone
