Craig Edward Disley (born 24 August 1981) is an English football coach and former professional footballer.
Primarily a box-to-box central midfielder, he began his professional career at Mansfield Town in 1999 where he started as a youngster, and established himself in the "Stags" first team in the 2001–02 season, helping them gain promotion into the Second Division. He then decided to join Bristol Rovers in July 2004, and helped the "Gas" to win promotion out of League Two in the 2007 Football League Two play-off final. Deemed surplus to requirements, he joined Shrewsbury Town in May 2009, but injury problems meant he didn't hold a regular place in the team. He joined Grimsby Town in June 2011, and became a linchpin in their midfield over the next 5 years, helping Grimsby to win promotion out of the National League in the 2016 National League play-off final at Wembley Stadium. Having been released by Grimsby after a successful 6 years with the club, he joined Alfreton Town in the National League North for the next two years.
Playing career
Mansfield Town Born in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, Disley came through the youth ranks at Mansfield Town, and was promoted to the club's first team in the summer of 1999 under the management of Bill Dearden. He made his debut on 23 September, 1999, in a 4–0 victory over Shrewsbury Town, coming on as a 67th-minute substitute for Michael Sissons, also picking up his 1st yellow card within 3 minutes. He went on to make a further five appearances in his first season at Field Mill.
During the 2001–02 season Disley scored his first and second career goals in a 2–3 away win over Cheltenham Town on 25 August, 2001, Liam Lawrence providing both corners as Disley opened the scoring for the Stags in the 29th minute with a header, before adding a second in the 47th minute with another header. Disley earned promotion into the Second Division with Mansfield in 2001–02 under the stewardship of Stuart Watkiss. By the end of the 2002–03 season Mansfield had been relegated back down to the fourth tier of English football.
Bristol Rovers Disley signed with Bristol Rovers in July 2004, on a two-year contract. The midfielder became a major part of the promotion campaign during the 2006–07 season and his good form continued into the 2007–08 season, when he scored nine times, including last-minute winners against Oldham Athletic and at Millwall.
Shrewsbury Town On 5 May, 2009, Disley was told that he was free to talk to other clubs as Bristol Rovers deemed him surplus to requirements. On 4 June he signed for Shrewsbury Town on a two-year contract. On 22 February, 2010, Disley broke his ankle, which ruled him out for the rest of the 2009–10 season.
He was released on 23 May, 2011, after two years with Shrewsbury.
Grimsby Town On 23 June, 2011, Conference Premier side Grimsby Town announced they had offered Disley a contract. On 24 June, he completed move to Grimsby a two-year contract. On 15 October, 2011, Disley scored his first goal for Grimsby in the 2–1 defeat at York City, a cross from Rob Duffy for Disley to loop a firm header over keeper Michael Ingham on four minutes, he also acquired his 4th yellow card of the season after a poor challenge on Jason Walker.
On 11 August, 2012, Disley scored the opening goal of the season for Grimsby in the 1–1 draw against Southport on 74 minutes, an Aswad Thomas cross from the left by-line was parried by goalkeeper McMillan straight into the path of Disley, scoring from close range.
Disley's goal tally reached double figures in the 2013–14 season and he was Grimsby's second top scorer, with 11 league goals, and a goal in the 3–2 FA Cup defeat to Huddersfield Town. He also scored against Gateshead in both legs of the play-off semi finals, however this was not enough to prevent Gateshead progressing to the final.
He missed just two league games of the 2014–15 season and he was Grimsby's third top scorer, with nine league goals as Paul Hurst's Grimsby came third in the Conference Premier, and secured a play-off spot.
On 26 May 2015, Disley was the first player commit his future to Grimsby for the 2015–16 season, signing a new one-year deal. Disley played in Grimsby's 3–1 victory over Forest Green Rovers in the 2016 National League play-off final at Wembley Stadium, seeing Grimsby promoted into League Two after a six-year absence from the Football League.
On 27 May, 2016, Disley agreed to a new one-year contract with the newly promoted club.
After making 32 appearances and scoring three goals for Grimsby in the 2016–17 season he was released by the club on 9 May, 2017. Grimsby Town director John Fenty released a statement following Disley's release; he said: "The club will be arranging a special benefit (testimonial) game for Craig in due course, an opportunity for good many like-minded fans to have the opportunity express their respect for a true Town legend."
On 1 November, 2017, Disley and his All Star team were defeated 7–2 by the current Grimsby Town team in his testimonial game. Disley's team included former Town players such as Shaun Pearson, Lenell John-Lewis, Liam Hearn, Aristote Nsiala, Nathan Arnold, and Michael Boulding. With goals coming from Disley himself and Ross Hannah.
Alfreton Town Disley signed for National League North side Alfreton Town on a two-year deal on 1 June 2017. Manager John McDermott said: "It was a fantastic signing for us and we fought off stiff competition from higher clubs to land his signature."
On 7 August, 2018, Disley signed for Cleethorpes Town on season-long loan.
Barton Town Disley signed for Barton Town at the start of the 2019–20 season.
On 12 June, 2021, Disley announced his retirement from football.
Coaching career In the summer of 2018, as well as his playing duties Disley began coaching the U16 team at former club Grimsby Town.Schoolboys training timetables released gtfcacademy.com
On 19 November. 2022, Disley returned to Cleethorpes Town as assistant manager to his former Grimsby teammate Nathan Arnold. On 22 November, 2022, due to a shortage of players for a match against North Shields, Disley came out of retirement and was named as a substitute.
Arnold and Disley left the club in March 2023, via mutual consent.
Style of play A box-to-box central midfielder who can score goals and play in a wide midfield position.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsMansfield Town1999–2000Third Division50100000602000–01Third Division2401000102602001–02Third Division3672010003972002–03Second Division4242010004542003–04Third Division345400040425Total14116100205015816Bristol Rovers2004–05League Two2841010513552005–06League Two4283010104782006–07League Two45451101016162007–08League One4466221005292008–09League One443101010473Total203251636117224231Shrewsbury Town2009–10League Two1810010001912010–11League Two242102020292Total423103020483Grimsby Town2011–12Conference Premier44150—305212012–13Conference Premier40710—1025192013–14Conference Premier39951—6250122014–15Conference Premier40920—604892015–16National League43630—705362016–17League Two282100031323Total234341710035528640Alfreton Town2017–18National League North16000—00160Barton Town2019–20NCEFL Premier19020—322422020–21NCEFL Premier8010—10100Total27030—42342Career total6637847411163978492
Honours Mansfield Town Football League Third Division third-place promotion: 2001–02
Bristol Rovers Football League Two play-offs: 2007 Football League Trophy runner-up: 2006–07
Grimsby Town National League play-offs: 2016 FA Trophy runner-up: 2015–16 Lincolnshire Senior Cup: 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15
Individual Conference Premier Team of the Year: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 National League Player of the Month: March 2016
References
External links
at the official Grimsby Town F.C. website