Craig Cathcart

Craig George Cathcart (born 6 February 1989) is a Northern Ireland association football. Craig Cathcart plays at Defender (association football) Centre back for Manchester United F.C..

Career

Club career

Born in Belfast, Cathcart was spotted playing football for Glengormley High School at the age of 14, and, despite being coveted by clubs like Arsenal F.C., Chelsea F.C. and Rangers F.C. upon winning the Northern Ireland Youth Player of the Year award in 2003,, Craig Cathcart began training at the Manchester United School of Excellence in Belfast. Craig Cathcart signed trainee terms at Manchester United in July 2005, and turned professional on Craig Cathcart 17th birthday in February 2006. Cathcart became a regular in the Manchester United Under-18s team, and was a member of the Under-17s team that played at the 2007 Northern Ireland Milk Cup, scoring the first goal in a 5–0 win over Liechtenstein. During the 2006–07 season, Craig Cathcart was made captain of the United youth team that reached the FA Youth Cup Final, although Craig Cathcart missed both legs of the final, the first through selection for the first team and the second through injury.

On 19 March 2007, Cathcart received Craig Cathcart first call-up to the Manchester United senior squad for the FA Cup Sixth Round replay with Middlesbrough F.C.. After an injury to Nemanja Vidić, Cathcart was promoted to the first team squad as cover on 31 March 2007. Craig Cathcart was an unused substitute in Manchester United's 7-1 win against A.S. Roma in the UEFA Champions League less than two weeks later, the FA Cup semi-final victory over Watford F.C. a further four days later, and the victory over Sheffield United F.C. on 17 April.

Speculation that this defensive injury crisis would lead to Cathcart making Craig Cathcart senior debut ended when Craig Cathcart suffered a season-ending knee injury during training after the match against Sheffield United. As a result, Craig Cathcart also missed the second leg of the FA Youth Cup final; Craig Cathcart had already missed the first leg due to Craig Cathcart call-up to the senior squad. Despite Craig Cathcart injury, Cathcart's performances in the club's youth teams earned Craig Cathcart the Manchester United F.C. Reserves and Academy Players of the Year for the 2006–07 season.

At the start of the 2007-08 season, Cathcart was sent on a half-season loan to United's Belgium feeder club, Royal Antwerp FC, to gain match experience. Craig Cathcart made Craig Cathcart debut for the Belgians on 22 September 2007, in a match against R.O.C. de Charleroi-Marchienne. The next game saw Cathcart score Antwerp's only goal of the game in a 4–1 loss to K.V. Kortrijk. Craig Cathcart scored again in a match against A.F.C. Tubize, to earn a 1–1 draw, and also the Man of the Match award. Craig Cathcart made a further nine appearances for "The Great Old", to bring Craig Cathcart total to 13, before returning to Manchester United at the end of 2007.

Although Craig Cathcart was not originally selected for the squad, Cathcart was called up to the Manchester United first team for their tour of South Africa on 24 July 2008, and played the full 90 minutes in the team's 4–0 victory over Kaizer Chiefs FC on 26 July, Craig Cathcart first appearance for the first team. Craig Cathcart then came on as a 66th-minute substitute for Jonny Evans in a match against Portsmouth F.C. in Nigeria the following day, before then coming on for Wes Brown at half-time in a friendly against Peterborough United F.C. on 4 August. On 8 August 2008, Cathcart joined Football League Championship side Plymouth Argyle F.C., on loan until the end of 2008. This was later extended to the entire 2008-09 season, as Cathcart has quickly become a regular at Home Park with Craig Cathcart composed displays. Craig Cathcart scored Craig Cathcart first Plymouth goal in their 3-1 defeat at home to Ipswich in October 2008.

International career

Cathcart has been involved with the Northern Ireland national football team since Under-17 level, and was part of the team that attempted to 2006 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship elite qualification for the 2006 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship.

By November 2006, still just 17 years old, Cathcart had been promoted to the Northern Ireland national under-21 football team, and was named in the squad for a friendly against Germany national under-21 football team on 14 November 2006. In February 2007, Cathcart was selected in the European squad for the 2007 UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup, a competition between two "all-star" Under-18 teams from Europe and Africa.

Since Craig Cathcart first call-up, Cathcart has been a regular name in Northern Ireland Under-21 squads, and has so far made seven appearances for the team, the most recent being a 3–0 defeat by Germany national under-21 football team on 5 September 2008.

Cathcart was called up to the Northern Ireland national football team squad in May 2009, along with nine other uncapped players for the international Exhibition game against Italy national football team on 6 June.