Craig Hignett
English footballer and manager / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Craig Hignett (born 12 January 1970) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker and later in his career as a midfielder.
![]() |
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | (1970-01-12) 12 January 1970 (age 54) | ||
Place of birth | Whiston, Lancashire, England | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder, striker | ||
Youth career | |||
1986–1988 | Liverpool | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1988–1992 | Crewe Alexandra | 121 | (42) |
1992–1998 | Middlesbrough | 155 | (33) |
1998 | Aberdeen | 13 | (2) |
1998–2000 | Barnsley | 66 | (28) |
2000–2003 | Blackburn Rovers | 53 | (8) |
2002 | → Coventry City (loan) | 8 | (2) |
2003–2004 | Leicester City | 13 | (1) |
2004 | → Crewe Alexandra (loan) | 15 | (0) |
2004 | Leeds United | 0 | (0) |
2004–2005 | Darlington | 19 | (9) |
2005–2006 | Apollon Limassol | 11 | (0) |
2006–2007 | Spennymoor United | 0 | (0) |
2007 | Hartlepool United | 2 | (0) |
2008–2009 | Billingham Synthonia | 4 | (2) |
Total | 465 | (125) | |
Managerial career | |||
2016–2017 | Hartlepool United | ||
2018 | Hartlepool United (caretaker) | ||
2019 | Hartlepool United | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Born in Whiston, he started his senior club career with Crewe Alexandra in 1988. After making 150 appearances for Crewe, he moved to Middlesbrough in 1992. He played for Middlesbrough in both the FA Cup and League Cup finals in 1996–97 as Boro finished as runners-up on both occasions. Hignett was the first player to score at Middlesbrough's new ground, the Riverside Stadium and also won two promotions to the Premier League with the club. He left Middlesbrough in 1998 and had a brief spell with Aberdeen before moving to Barnsley. In his second season, Hignett was named as Barnsley's Player of the Season as well as being named in the First Division PFA Team of the Year. He signed for Blackburn Rovers in 2000 and was a member of the team that won the League Cup in 2001–02. After a loan spell with Coventry City, he moved to Leicester City in 2003. He returned to Crewe Alexandra on loan in 2004. Hignett subsequently had brief spells with Leeds United, Darlington, Apollon Limassol, Spennymoor United, Hartlepool United and Billingham Synthonia.
He began his coaching career at Middlesbrough's academy in 2008. Ahead of the 2013–14 season, he was named as Hartlepool United's assistant manager but moved to Middlesbrough to become their assistant manager later that season. He left Middlesbrough in December 2014. Hignett was named as Hartlepool's first-team manager in February 2016 but was sacked in January 2017. He returned to the club again as Director of Football in 2018 and became manager again in January 2019 before departing in October 2019.