Craig Lindfield

He joined the Liverpool Academy in 1996 aged 8, and worked his way up through the club's youth teams. In 2005–06 he won the FA Youth Cup for the first time as a 17-year-old when Liverpool beat Manchester City 3–2 on aggregate, finishing the competition as Liverpool's leading goal scorer in the competition. In 2006–07, he scored 3 goals, including 2 in front of the Kop at Anfield in the 7–3 aggregate score against Newcastle in the semi-final of the 2006–07 FA Youth Cup to secure a place in Liverpool's second consecutive final appearance. In the final they faced archrivals Manchester United. He scored the opener in the first leg which they lost 2–1. In the return leg, held at Old Trafford on 26 April 2007, Liverpool won 4–3 on penalties when the score stood at 2–2 on aggregate after extra time. Craig scored the second penalty in the penalty shoot-out at the Stretford End, bringing his goal tally to 12 in 12 Youth Cup games.

Liverpool

In the summer of 2006 he was promoted from the academy to the first team squad. On 22 July 2006, he made his debut for Liverpool's senior team in a pre-season friendly against Crewe. He scored the only goal when Robbie Fowler back heeled the ball into his path and it was dispatched by him left footed into the top corner of the net as the Reds triumphed 1–0. He was a member of Liverpool's 2008 Dallas Cup winning side, returning from the US as the tournament's top scorer with 6 goals. In July 2009 he had a double hernia operation and on 11 August 2009 his contract with Liverpool was terminated by mutual consent

Loan spells

On 1 November 2007 he joined Notts County on a month's loan, and on 3 November 2007 he scored 23 minutes into his league debut against Accrington Stanley which ended in a 2–0 win to the Magpies. He made seven appearances before returning to Liverpool at the end of the loan period. On 18 January 2008 he returned to League Two when he joined Chester City in a one-month loan deal. His debut for the club came as a substitute the following day, in a 1–0 loss to his former loan club Notts County, with his final game coming against the same opponents the following month. He then returned to Liverpool. On 22 August 2008 he joined AFC Bournemouth on an initial one-month loan deal and on 30 August on his full debut he scored against Port Vale. His loan was extended until the end of 2008. In January 2009 he gained further Football League…

Lindfield received England U19 international recognition when he was called up and then selected for the international friendly against the Netherlands on 5 September 2006 held at the Bescot Stadium, Walsall. He also represented his country in the friendly international tournament held in Austria in October 2006, scoring two goals against Austria in a 3–3 draw on 9 October 2006.

Lindfield attended Brookdale Primary School from 1993 to 2000 and then Calday Grange Grammar School between 2000 and 2005, and played cricket for his local club Upton CC.