Craig Fleming

Craig Fleming ( born October 6, 1971 in Halifax ) is a former English footballer. The applicable both in central defense as well as on the right side defender played between 1991 and 2007 over 500 league appearances for Oldham Athletic and Norwich City and a member of the "Hall of Fame" at the club last mentioned.

Sports career

Fleming began his professional career in the late 1980s with his hometown club Halifax Town and made his debut there at the age of 16 years in the first team. After a total of 69 official matches, he joined in the summer of 1991 to Oldham Athletic where he was not only 192 more times for the course, but even three years English league football enjoyed. During this time he made by its strengths in guarding opponents of a name, and after a particularly successful game against the young Ryan Giggs of Manchester United called him there the active manager Alex Ferguson as "the best man-marker of the country". In the 1992/93 season he was part of the team that still ensured just the league after a comeback and Crystal Palace distancing on goal difference. After relegation in 1994, he played three years for the " Latics ", the 1996/97 season was the end promoted to captain and crew left the Boundary Park after relegation to the Second Division in third-class road to Norwich City.

Despite some injury setbacks at the beginning of his time with the " Canaries " Fleming himself developed during the next ten years to a long constant in the defensive alliance of Norwich City; in addition, he was at times captain. He was instrumental in the rise of the club to the Premier League about winning the second division championship in 2004 and received before Darren Huckerby and Robert Green, the Association's internal award for best player of the past season - the year before he was already in the "Hall of been incorporated Fame " of Norwich City. In the English top flight, he completed against Everton his 300th competitive game for the " Canaries " and missed the only field player from Norwich City in the 2004/05 season on the court no Premier League minute. After the immediate relegation in 2005 to the second division Fleming received for his many years of service to the association a charity match ( " Testimonial Match" ), which took place on 26 July 2006 against Newcastle United and its revenue Fleming Christian drug assistance organization " The Matthew Project " was providing. In the season 2006/ 07 Fleming lost his place under manager Peter Grant and so there were growing speculation about a possible change of clubs, especially in the direction of AFC Bournemouth.

In January 2007, this development concretized. Fleming joined for a month on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers, but there was only one game used and signed on 31 January 2007 at third division side Rotherham United on. The season 2006/ 07 ended for Fleming with the descent into the fourth-rate Football League Two and the new coach Mark Robins told Fleming that the veteran would no longer play a role in his plans. The parties agreed on 30 August 2007 on a premature termination of the contract and Fleming then let the lower class FC King's Lynn end his active career. On March 12, 2008, he officially announced the end of his career and gave as the reason a persistent ankle injury and possible long-term deterioration in the case of other loads.

After his football career Fleming moved into coaching specialist and gained his first experience as an assistant coach at Lowestoft Town. He also works as a personal trainer and has its own fitness business .. In addition, he was appointed in January 2009 to the Sports Ambassador of the county of Norfolk. It is in this function of contact for schools and youth organizations in the region.