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Craig Dawson

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Craig Dawson
Dawson warming up for West Ham United in 2021
Personal information
Full name Craig Dawson[1]
Date of birth (1990-05-06) 6 May 1990 (age 34)[2]
Place of birth Rochdale, England[3]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Number 15
Youth career
Rochdale St Clements
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2009 Radcliffe Borough
2007–2008 → Clipstone (loan)
2009–2010 Rochdale 46 (10)
2009 → Radcliffe Borough (loan)
2010–2019 West Bromwich Albion 194 (14)
2010–2011 → Rochdale (loan) 41 (9)
2013 → Bolton Wanderers (loan) 16 (4)
2019–2021 Watford 29 (2)
2020–2021 → West Ham United (loan) 22 (3)
2021–2023 West Ham United 42 (2)
2023– Wolverhampton Wanderers 54 (2)
International career
2011–2013 England U21 15 (6)
2012 Great Britain Olympic 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:28, 4 December 2024 (UTC)

Craig Dawson (born 6 May 1990) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers.

He has previously played for Radcliffe Borough, Bolton Wanderers, Rochdale, West Bromwich Albion, Watford and West Ham United.

Club career

Radcliffe Borough

Dawson started his career at the youth club Heywood St James, before joining Rochdale St Clements. At the age of 16, whilst working as a glass collector in his local pub in Rochdale, Dawson was approached by Radcliffe Borough chairman Bernard Manning Jr, son of Bernard Manning, later making his debut for the club in a game against Salford City in the middle of the 2007–08 season. Following a loan spell at Clipstone,[4][5] Dawson became a first-team regular after just a few games at Radcliffe. In the two seasons he was at the club he made 95 appearances and scored 15 goals.[6] In the season he left, he was voted the Player of the season by Radcliffe.[7] In 2017, Dawson was included in the Northern Premier League's Greatest 100 Players for the 50th Anniversary of the league, ranking in 14th overall.[8]

Rochdale

In February 2009, Dawson signed for his local club Rochdale on a two-year contract for a fee of £12,000, despite a bid of £30,000 from Crewe Alexandra.[9][5] Although a Rochdale player, Dawson stayed at Radcliffe on loan until the end of the season.[7] Dawson made his debut for Rochdale reserves, scoring a header from a corner against Manchester City. Dawson was set to make his debut in the second half of the 2008–09 season; however, was set back by injury. Dawson finally got his Rochdale debut on 8 August 2009, starting in the League Two clash with Port Vale at Vale Park. The match ended in a 1–1 draw. Dawson's second game was at Hillsborough Stadium in the League Cup against Sheffield Wednesday. Despite conceding three goals, Rochdale fans gave Dawson rave reviews and named him the man of the match.

He scored 10 goals in all competitions during the 2009–10 season and won a place in the League Two PFA Team of the Year.

West Bromwich Albion

On 31 August 2010, Dawson signed for Premier League club West Bromwich Albion for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract. He made his competitive Baggies debut in a 4–1 League Cup win at AFC Bournemouth in August 2011 and the following day was called up into the England under-21's squad by Stuart Pearce, who watched him from the stands at the Dean Court on his debut. On 26 July 2011, Dawson was rewarded with a new-and-improved Albion contract. On 21 February 2012, the centre-half penned a three-and-a-half-year deal to June 2015, plus a further year's option in the club's favour.[10] Dawson made his first Premier League start on 17 September 2011, away from home against Swansea City as a fill-in central defender for the suspended Gabriel Tamaş in a disappointing 3–0 defeat. He re-appeared in the starting eleven for the game against Manchester City in which West Brom went on to lose 4–0. Again, Dawson appeared in the next league game against Queens Park Rangers, West Brom went on to win the game 1–0. On 28 September 2014, Dawson scored his first Premier League goal for West Brom in a 4–0 home win against Burnley. He scored his next goal of the season in a 1–2 loss to West Ham United on 2 December 2014.[11]

After the arrival of new Albion manager Tony Pulis at the start of 2015, Dawson became a regular feature in the starting lineup. While not chipping in with any more goals that season, Dawson played his part in the team achieving survival.[12] During the 2015–16 season, Dawson was again a regular starter. His first goal of the season came in a 2–3 loss to Everton on 28 September 2015.[13] His next goal came in a 2–2 draw away at Liverpool on 13 December 2015.[14] On 18 February 2016, he signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until the summer of 2018.[15] Two weeks after signing his contract extension he scored a goal in a 3–2 home win against Crystal Palace. He was also involved in the winning goal for Saido Berahino.[16] On 25 April 2016, he became the fourth Premier League player of the season to score an own goal and a goal in the same match in a 1–1 draw away to Tottenham.[17]

On 18 March 2017, he scored two headers from corners, as West Brom defeated Arsenal 3–1 in the Premier League, being named man of the match in the process.[18] Dawson made 28 league appearances for West Brom in the 2017–18 season as they were relegated from the Premier League. He subsequently handed in a transfer request and refused to travel to Portugal for the club's training camp.[19]

Loan to Rochdale

Immediately after signing for West Brom, he was loaned back to Rochdale for the remainder of the 2010–11 season.[10]

Loan to Bolton Wanderers

Dawson playing for Bolton Wanderers in 2013

On 23 January 2013, despite interest from Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City, Leeds United, and Nottingham Forest, Championship club Bolton Wanderers won the race to sign Dawson on loan for the rest of the season. On 23 February, Dawson scored twice in a 4–1 win against Hull City.[20] Just three days later on 26 February, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 home win against Peterborough United.[21] He scored for the third successive match on 2 March, scoring the winning goal in a 3–2 win against Barnsley.[22]

Watford

On 1 July 2019, Dawson signed for Premier League club Watford for an undisclosed fee on a four-year contract.[23]

Dawson scored his first goal for the club on 20 June 2020, An overhead kick against Leicester City.[24] Dawson made 29 appearances for Watford in the 2019–20 season as they were relegated to the Championship. At the start of the 2020–21 season, and the appointment of a new manager, Vladimir Ivić, his selection for the team became less likely following the signings of Francisco Sierralta and William Troost-Ekong.[25]

West Ham United

On 12 October 2020, Dawson signed for West Ham on loan for the remainder of the 2020–21 season. The club retained an option to make the transfer permanent at the end of the loan.[26] Dawson did not make his West Ham debut until 29 December 2020; being named as Man of the Match for his performance in a 0–0 draw away to Southampton.[27] On 11 January 2021, he scored his first goal for West Ham, against Stockport County, in the third round of the FA Cup as West Ham won 1–0. It was his first FA Cup goal for over 10 years since scoring for Rochdale against FC United of Manchester in November 2010.[28] On 26 January 2021, he scored his first Premier League goal for West Ham, in a 3–2 away win against Crystal Palace.[29]

On 6 April 2021, it was announced that Dawson would join West Ham United permanently at the end of the 2020–21 season on a two-year contract.[30]

Following a long-term injury in November 2021 to regular centre-back, Angelo Ogbonna, Dawson was drafted in as a regular replacement.[31] He scored his first Premier League goal of the 2021–22 season; a stoppage-time equaliser in a 2–2 draw away at Leicester City on 13 February 2022.[32] Six days later, Dawson scored his fiftieth goal in professional football as he headed in the opener at home to Newcastle United.[33] Dawson earned particular praise for his performances in West Ham's Europa League campaign. In a quarter-final game on 14 April against Lyon he scored the first goal in a 3–0 win in France and made more blocks than any other player despite taking blows to the face. His performances gained him cult status with the West Ham fans who dubbed him "Ballon D'awson".[34][35] By April 2022, following further injuries to centre-backs Kurt Zouma and Issa Diop, Dawson was the only available recognised centre-back at the club.[36] After his sending-off in an away game at Chelsea on 24 April, West Ham were left without any regular centre-backs for the following match.[37] Following West Ham's Europa League campaign, in which they were knocked out in the semi-final, Dawson was named in the Europa League Team of the Season, alongside teammate Declan Rice.[38]

Despite leaving the club in January 2023, Dawson received a winner's medal after West Ham won the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League final in Prague in June 2023.[39]

Wolverhampton Wanderers

On 22 January 2023, Wolverhampton Wanderers announced the signing of Dawson on a two-and-a-half-year deal.[40] On 4 February 2023, Dawson scored his first goal for Wolves on his debut appearance for the club in a 3–0 home win against Liverpool in the Premier League.[41]

When Wolves became the first team in the 2023–24 Premier League to beat reigning Champions Manchester City on 30 September 2023, Dawson was singled out for particular praise by commentators, having marked Erling Haaland out of the game to the extent the latter only had fifteen touches during the game.[42]

Dawson scored his second Wolves goal in the final game of 2023, a 3–0 win against Everton at Molineux in the Premier League on 30 December.[43]

On 4 December 2024, Dawson scored two own goals in a 4–0 loss to Everton, becoming the fifth player in Premier League history to score two own goals in the same match.[44][45]

International career

England Under-21s

Dawson scored two goals on his England under-21 debut against Azerbaijan on 1 September 2011.[46] He played 15 matches for England U21s, scoring six goals.

Great Britain Olympic team

On 2 July 2012, Dawson was selected by Stuart Pearce for the 2012 Great Britain Olympic football team.[47] He featured in the 1–0 victory over Uruguay as a last minute substitution for goalscorer Daniel Sturridge.[48] He also featured in the Olympic quarter-final against South Korea, coming on as a substitute for an injured Micah Richards, and scoring in the penalty shoot-out.[49]

Personal life

Prior to becoming a professional footballer, Dawson played for Rochdale Cricket Club as a batsman, having trials with Lancashire County Cricket Club.[50]

Career statistics

As of match played 4 December 2024[51]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Rochdale 2009–10[52] League Two 42 9 2 1 1 0 1[a] 1 46 11
2010–11[53] League One 45 10 1 1 2 0 0 0 48 11
Total 87 19 3 2 3 0 1 1 94 22
West Bromwich Albion 2011–12[54] Premier League 8 0 2 0 2 0 — 12 0
2012–13[55] Premier League 1 0 1 0 2 0 — 4 0
2013–14[56] Premier League 12 0 1 0 2 0 — 15 0
2014–15[57] Premier League 29 2 4 0 2 0 — 35 2
2015–16[58] Premier League 38 4 3 0 2 0 — 43 4
2016–17[59] Premier League 37 4 1 0 1 0 — 39 4
2017–18[60] Premier League 28 2 2 0 2 0 — 32 2
2018–19[61] Championship 41 2 1 0 1 0 2[b] 1 45 3
Total 194 14 15 0 14 0 2 1 225 15
Bolton Wanderers (loan) 2012–13[55] Championship 16 4 — — — 16 4
Watford 2019–20[62] Premier League 29 2 1 0 0 0 — 30 2
2020–21[63] Championship 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 1 0
Total 29 2 1 0 1 0 — 31 2
West Ham United (loan) 2020–21[63] Premier League 22 3 2 1 — — 24 4
West Ham United 2021–22[64] Premier League 34 2 3 0 3 0 10[c] 2 50 4
2022–23[65] Premier League 8 0 1 0 0 0 4[d] 1 13 1
Total 64 5 6 1 3 0 14 3 87 9
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2022–23[65] Premier League 17 1 — — — 17 1
2023–24[66] Premier League 25 1 3 0 0 0 — 28 1
2024–25[67] Premier League 12 0 0 0 1 0 — 13 0
Total 54 2 3 0 1 0 — 58 2
Career total 443 46 28 3 21 0 17 5 509 54
  1. ^ Appearance in Football League Trophy
  2. ^ Appearances in Championship play-offs
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

Honours

Radcliffe Borough

Rochdale

West Ham United

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Updated squad lists for 2022/23 Premier League". Premier League. 4 February 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  2. ^ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Mainstream Publishing. p. 111. ISBN 9781845966010.
  3. ^ "Craig Dawson". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  4. ^ Higginson, Marc (19 July 2012). "London 2012: Craig Dawson's rise to Team GB from glass collector". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  5. ^ a b "Craig Dawson: From non-League to the top flight, via the Dog & Partridge pub". The Athletic. 12 February 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Club history". Radcliffe Borough F.C. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  7. ^ a b "West Brom sign Craig Dawson – and then send him out on loan". Birmingham Mail. 31 August 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  8. ^ League, The Northern Premier (16 June 2018). "The Greatest 100 Players in the #EvostikLeague #NPL50 11-15pic.twitter.com/17BMRUdPjI".
  9. ^ "Rochdale capture defender Dawson". BBC Sport. 23 February 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
  10. ^ a b "West Brom snap up defender Craig Dawson". BBC Sport. 31 August 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
  11. ^ "West Bromwich Albion 1–2 West Ham United". BBC Sport. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  12. ^ "West Bromwich Albion – the 2014–15 season report card". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  13. ^ "West Bromwich Albion 2–3 Everton". BBC Sport. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  14. ^ "Liverpool 2–2 West Bromwich Albion". BBC Sport. 13 December 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  15. ^ "Craig Dawson: West Bromwich Albion defender signs new deal until 2018". BBC Sport. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  16. ^ "West Bromwich Albion 3–2 Crystal Palace". BBC Sport. 27 February 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  17. ^ "Tottenham Hotspur 1–1 West Bromwich Albion". BBC Sport. 25 April 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  18. ^ "West Bromwich Albion 3–1 Arsenal". BBC Sport. 18 March 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  19. ^ "Report: West Bromwich Albion want £40m for Jay Rodriguez, Craig Dawson – Sports Mole". amp.sportsmole.co.uk.
  20. ^ "Match Report". Archived from the original on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  21. ^ "Bolton 1–0 Peterborough" BBC Sport. 26 February 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  22. ^ "Barnsley 2–3 Bolton". BBC Sport. 2 March 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  23. ^ "Craig Dawson signs for Watford from West Brom". RTE Sport. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  24. ^ Goodwill, Jake (20 June 2020). "Watford and Leicester share the points after two late goals cancel each other out". The Telegraph. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  25. ^ "Craig Dawson: West Ham sign Watford defender on season-long loan". SkySports. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  26. ^ "West Ham United add experienced defender Craig Dawson". West Ham United F.C. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  27. ^ "Dawson makes man of the match performance". Watford Observer.
  28. ^ "West Ham edge past non-league Stockport". BBC Sport.
  29. ^ "Hammers still improving - Moyes". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  30. ^ "Craig Dawson to join West Ham United on permanent basis". West Ham United F.C. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  31. ^ "West Ham defender Craig Dawson to replace Angelo Ogbonna v Wolves". 18 November 2021.
  32. ^ "West Ham snatch draw at Leicester". BBC Sport. 13 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  33. ^ "West Ham United 1–1 Newcastle United: Joe Willock earns visitors valuable point". BBC Sport. 19 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  34. ^ "Lyon 0-3 West Ham (1-4 on aggregate): Hammers coast into Europa League semi-finals". Sky Sports.[permanent dead link‍]
  35. ^ Rosser, Jack (15 April 2022). "'Ballon D'awson': How Craig Dawson has become a West Ham cult hero". Evening Standard.
  36. ^ "West Ham facing defensive injury crisis ahead of trip to Chelsea". The Independent. 22 April 2022.
  37. ^ "West Ham won't have any centre-backs available for upcoming Arsenal clash". CaughtOffside. 24 April 2022.
  38. ^ Gorrie, Jonathan (20 May 2022). "West Ham duo Rice & Dawson named in Europa League team of the Season". Evening Standard.
  39. ^ "European medal on its way to hero Dawson in the post for his part in glory". Hammers News. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  40. ^ "Dawson completes Wolves move". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  41. ^ Rose, Gary (4 February 2023). "Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–0 Liverpool: Wolves add to disappointing Reds' misery". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  42. ^ Shread, Joe (30 September 2023). "Wolves 2–1 Man City: Match report & highlights". Sky Sports. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  43. ^ Hafez, Shamoon (30 December 2023). "Wolves 3–0 Everton: Max Kilman, Matheus Cunha & Craig Dawson score". BBC Sport.
  44. ^ Hafez, Shamoon (4 December 2024). "Everton thrash Wolves to pile pressure on O'Neil". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  45. ^ "Everton break winless streak in dominant style against Wolves". Premier League. 4 December 2024. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  46. ^ Bradbury, Jamie (1 September 2011). "England hit Azeris for six". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 15 December 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
  47. ^ "Pearce names squad". Sky Sport. 2 July 2012. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  48. ^ "Team GB Match No. 4 - Uruguay - 1 August 2012 - Match Summary and Report". www.englandfootballonline.com.
  49. ^ "Team GB Match No. 5 - Korean Republic - 4 August 2012 - Match Summary and Report". www.englandfootballonline.com.
  50. ^ "In Their Own Words: Craig Dawson". Watford F.C. 5 September 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  51. ^ "Craig Dawson". Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  52. ^ "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  53. ^ "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  54. ^ "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  55. ^ a b "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  56. ^ "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  57. ^ "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  58. ^ "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  59. ^ "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  60. ^ "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  61. ^ "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  62. ^ "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  63. ^ a b "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  64. ^ "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  65. ^ a b "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  66. ^ "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  67. ^ "Games played by Craig Dawson in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  68. ^ a b "Craig Dawson: From non-League to the top flight, via the Dog & Partridge pub". The Athletic. 13 February 2021. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  69. ^ "West Ham News Winners medal for Dawson". Hammers News. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  70. ^ "2021/22 UEFA Europa League Team of the Season". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  71. ^ "Rooney is PFA player of the year". BBC Sport. 25 April 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  72. ^ Louise Taylor (16 March 2010). "Football League award puts Rochdale's Craig Dawson in demand". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  73. ^ "Former Chester FC duo named in Northern Premier League's best ever team". Cheshire Standard. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
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