Craig Alexander P. Ross (born 29 January 1990) is an English football player and coach who plays as a goalkeeper for club Woking, where he also serves as interim manager.
Career Ross began his career in the youth academies of Southampton, Arsenal, Reading, Crystal Palace, Colchester United and Woking.
He began his senior career with Ashford Town (Middlesex) in 2008 before moving to Carshalton Athletic. After short spells with Godalming Town and Welling United, Ross joined Hampton & Richmond Borough.
In August 2012, Ross joined Cambridge United as back-up to Jonathan Hedge. During the 2012–13 season, he spent time on loan with Eastbourne Borough, before joining the club permanently for the 2013–14 campaign.
Ross briefly joined Farnborough at the beginning of the 2014–15 season before moving to Whitehawk, where he spent two seasons. In 2016, he signed for Macclesfield Town ahead of the 2016–17 season. After turning down a new contract with Macclesfield, Ross joined Barnet on a one-year deal on 1 July 2017.
Ross made his Barnet debut in the EFL Cup against Brighton & Hove Albion on 22 August 2017. He went on to make 33 league appearances during the 2017–18 season, but was released following the club's relegation from EFL League Two.
Following a spell with Leatherhead, Ross returned to Woking in September 2018. He made his debut on the same day, featuring in a 2–2 draw against Torquay United.
Ross played a key role in Woking's successful 2018–19 campaign, helping the club defeat Welling United in the National League South play-off final on 12 May 2019 to secure an immediate return to the National League. He signed a new two-year contract with the club on 12 April 2021.
After falling out of favour following the arrival of Will Jääskeläinen, it was announced that Ross would leave Woking at the end of the 2022–23 season after five years back with the Cardinals. He made 198 appearances during his second spell with the club between 2018 and 2023.
On 9 June 2023, Ross agreed to join fellow National League side Maidenhead United. After making 94 appearances, he departed the club at the end of the 2024–25 season.https://x.com/MUFCYorkRoad/status/1926694192538878336
Ross returned to Woking ahead of the 2025–26 season as a player/goalkeeping coach. Following the departure of first-team manager Neal Ardley, Ross was appointed interim manager alongside Dale Gorman and Jake Hyde on 1 March 2026. During his interim spell in charge, Ross, alongside Gorman and Hyde, guided the team to four wins from eight matches before Jermain Defoe was appointed first-team manager at the end of March. On 24 July 2026, Ross and Hyde were reinstated as interim first-team managers following Defoe's abrupt departure just two weeks before the start of the 2026–27 campaign.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsHampton & Richmond Borough2011–12Conference South29000—5Appearance(s) in FA Trophy0340Cambridge United2012–13Conference Premier15000—00150Eastbourne Borough (loan)2012–13Conference South3000—0030Eastbourne Borough2013–14Conference South42030—10460Farnborough2014–15Conference South2020—0040Whitehawk2014–15Conference South270——4One appearance in FA Trophy, three in Conference South play-offs03102015–16National League South42070—4Two appearances in FA Trophy, two in Conference South play-offs0530Total69070—80840Macclesfield Town2016–17National League22040—10270Barnet2017–18League Two33010103Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy0380Leatherhead2018–19Isthmian League Premier Division30——0030Woking2018–19National League South32050—5Three appearances in FA Trophy, two in National League South play-offs04202019–20National League36020—103902020–21National League39020—504602021–22National League33010—103502022–23National League33020—10360Total1730120—1301980Maidenhead United2023–24National League46020—2One appearance in FA Trophy, one in Berks & Bucks Senior Cup05002024–25National League40030—10440Total86050—30940Woking2025–26National League4000—50902026–27National League0000—2020Total4000—70110Career total4810340104105570
Managerial statistics
+ Managerial record by team and tenureTeamFromToRecordWoking (interim)1 March 202629 March 2026Woking (interim)24 July 2026PresentTotal
Honours Woking National League South play-offs: 2018–19 Individual
Fans Player of the Season 2019-20, 2020–21 Players Player of the Season 2019-20, 2020–21 Managers Player of the Season 2019-20, 2020–21
References
External links