CRAIG  McAUGHTRIE

(photo courtesy of 94thminute.com)

Height 6' 5"

Weight 13 0lbs

Defender (Occasional appearances as striker)

League Appearances: 2 (9)

Craig was born in Burton-on-Trent on the 3rd of March 1981. He signed as a trainee at Sheffield United on the 1st of August 1997. He was released from the Blades on the 11th of May 2000 and signed for Carlisle on the 5th of August.

Craig has only made one full appearance so far, in the LDV vans Trophy 1st round against Kidderminster on the 12th of December 2000. A game played in torrential rain.   A sterling performance  by the young team  gave a 1-1 score line at full time. Carlisle were beaten by the dreaded golden goal in the  100th minute. 

In the league, Craig made his debut for Carlisle coming off the bench to replace Birch, late in the home game against Exeter on the 23rd of September, a 1-0 defeat.  His next appearance was against Blackpool away on the 24th of October where he again replaced Birch. Carlisle had won a free kick in the 89th minute  and he was thrown on in the hope his extra height in the box would produce an equalising goal. It wasn't to be  and the game ended in a 3-2 defeat.  Craig made three more late appearances.  A win at home to Southend on the 11th of November. The away win at Macclesfield on the 16th of December, where he replaced Hemmings in the 86th minute who had already replaced Hore in the 67th minute. His final appearance came at Southend away, he came on in the 89th minute for Halliday as United desperately hung on to the 1-1 draw.

Craig started the 2001/02 season from the bench against Leyton Orient, away on the 18th of August, coming on for a tiring Stevens in the 84th minute to help secure the 0-0 draw, picking up his only booking of the season in the 89th minute. Craig again replaced Stevens in the home game against Hull on the 25th of August, this time in the 56th minute and again helped  the team  earn a 0-0 draw.  As the Carlisle squad  got bigger  Craig got less opportunities to make the firs team. His next substitute appearance came away at Exeter on the 13th of October when he came on for Birch in the 84th minute with Carlisle already a goal down. The match finishing in a 1-0 defeat.  A long spell in the reserves followed with the end of the season approaching injuries to Whitehead, Murphy and Winstanley left the squad  in trouble at the back and Craig got his chance to show what he could do. On the 1st of April  he made his first start of the season , at home against Macclesfield Town. It's often said you make your own luck by hard work and Craig was determined to make the most of his chance, whilst playing well at the back his  reward was to come in the penalty box.  Firstly  in the 49th minute with Carlisle 2-0 down  Craig was pulled down in the box and Foran despatched the penalty to give Carlisle a lifeline.  Then in the 90th minute Foran headed the ball across a crowded penalty box, Halliday  nicked the ball through to Craig who powered the ball home.  The resulting celebrations showed the regard Craig  generated from his team mates. As the game went nto injury time, it looked like a well earned draw but a final twist saw Foran impeded when through on goal so for the second time in the match Foran despatched the ball into the net. The final score 3-2 to Carlisle.  The next game was Shrewsbury away on the 6th of April, a 1-0 defeat, where Shrewsbury spurned many chances to take a bigger lead.  Craig  by his own admission did not play as well as in the previous game. A trip to the hospital following the game  showed a serious leg injury which  put him out of the squad for the rest of the season. Like so many others Craig was released after the final game, we wish him well in his future career.

To read Craig's thoughts on life at United  Click Here

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