Craig Cathcart

Craig Cathcart (born 6 February 1989, in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a Northern Ireland football (soccer). He is a left-footed centre-half, and is currently on loan at Royal Antwerp FC from Manchester United F.C..

Cathcart signed trainee terms at Manchester United in July 2005, and was captain of the youth team which reached the FA Youth Cup Final in April 2007, although he himself missed the both legs of the final.

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.

Cathcart received his first call-up to the Manchester United senior squad for the 6th Round FA Cup replay with Middlesbrough F.C. on 19 March 2007. After Nemanja Vidić's injury, on 31 March 2007, Cathcart was promoted to the first team squad as cover. He was an unused substitute in Manchester United's 7-1 win against A.S. Roma in the UEFA Champions League, the FA Cup semi-final victory over Watford F.C. 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 his senior debut ended when he suffered a season ending knee injury at training after the match against Sheffield United. As a result he also missed the second leg of the FA Youth Cup final; he had already missed the first leg due to his call-up to the senior squad.

At the start of the 2007-08 season, Cathcart was sent on a half-season loan to Royal Antwerp FC to gain match experience.

Cathcart is also a member of the Northern Ireland national under-21 football team.