Matt Crowell

Matt Crowell

Personal information
Full name	Matthew Thomas Crowell
Date of birth	(1984-07-03) 3 July 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth	Bridgend, Wales
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
000–2000	Swansea City
2000–2002	Southampton
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2002–2003	Southampton	0	(0)
2003–2008	Wrexham	93	(4)
2008–2009	Northwich Victoria	56	(5)
2009	Altrincham	5	(1)
2009–2010	Central Coast Mariners	13	(0)
2010	Altrincham	9	(0)
2010	Farnborough	2	(0)
2011	Port Talbot Town	4	(0)
2011–2012	CD Ourense	20	(0)
2012–2013	Port Talbot Town	24	(1)
2013–2015	CCM Academy	44	(2)
2016	Maitland FC	4	(1)
2018–2019	Central Coast United	32	(1)
Total		306	(15)
International career
2001	Wales U17	2	(0)
2002	Wales U19	3	(0)
2003–2005	Wales U21	7	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Matthew Thomas Crowell (born 3 July 1984) is a Welsh retired footballer who last played for NSW Premier League side Central Coast Mariners Academy.

Born in Bridgend, Crowell grew up in Coychurch. As a teenager he was part of the youth system at Swansea City before being persuaded to follow Swansea youth coach Malcolm Elias to Southampton at the age of 16 in 2000.^[1] Swansea took the case to the Football League appeals committee seeking compensation of £1.5 million. The committee later ordered Southampton to make an immediate payment of £100,000 to Swansea, as well as a further £100,000 when Crowell had made 10, 20, 30 and 40 appearances in the future and 20% of any future transfer fee that the club received for Crowell. Swansea chairman Neil McClure later stated "£500,000 is significantly more than Southampton ever offered at any stage and that must be regarded as satisfactory"^[2] However, Crowell never made a first team appearance at Southampton and was released in 2003.

After spending time on trial with Bristol Rovers,^[3] Crowell later joined Wrexham, having impressed in a trial spell,^[4] and made his professional debut for the club on 9 August 2003 as a substitute in place of Steve Thomas during a 0–0 draw with Chesterfield. In his third season at the Racecourse Ground he made six appearances in the club's Football League Trophy victory, beating Southend United 2–0 in the final.^[5] However, he later found himself plagued with injuries in his later years at the Racecourse Ground and, after playing on a six-month contract with the Welsh side in an attempt to show his fitness,^[6] he was released in January 2008 having made over 100 appearances for the club.

In January 2008, Crowell signed for Northwich Victoria on non-contract terms.^[7] In July 2009, Crowell left Northwich. He attended a trial with NSW Premier League side Sydney Olympic,^[3] but later returned to Britain to sign for Altrincham on a short-term contract, stating that "It was hard at Northwich last season with the club's difficulties but I am pleased to join Altrincham".

In September 2009, Crowell joined A-League team Central Coast Mariners on a one-year deal until the end of the 2009–10 season.^[8] He made 13 appearances for the club before returning to England.

He then rejoined Altrincham before in December 2010 Farnborough announced that he had joined them, apparently on non-contract terms.^[9] He left the club after only two appearances.

In May 2011, Crowell had a two-week trial with China's Chengdu Blades before he joined Welsh Premier League club Port Talbot Town in July 2011 after a trial.^[10] He played all of the club's league games prior to his next move.

He signed a full-time contract with Spanish club CD Ourense in September 2011 where he made 20 appearances for the club.^[11]

In July 2012 Crowell returned to Wales and his former club Port Talbot Town ahead of the 2012/13 Welsh Premier League season. Crowell's first goal in his second spell at the club came in a 5–0 win away at Aberystwyth FC where he scored a penalty.

In March 2013 Crowell signed for the Central Coast Mariners Academy, feeder seed for Central Coast Mariners FC of the A-League where he had a previous stint in the 2009–10 season.^[12]

Crowell retired from professional football in August 2019^[13]

A former captain of the Wales under-15 side,^[2] Crowell later went on to represent Wales at under-17 and under-19 levels. He has also played numerous times for the Wales U21 side and has also scored a screamer with his left foot for the side, against Azerbaijan U21 in 2004.^[14]

As of 2 September 2010.

Club statistics

Club	Season	League		National Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals
Wrexham	2003–04	15	1	0	0	1	0	2	0	18	1
	2004–05	28	0	1	0	0	0	6	0	35	0
	2005–06	29	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	29	3
	2006–07	15	0	1	0	2	0	1	1	19	1
	2007–08	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
	Subtotal	93	4	2	0	3	0	9	1	107	5
Northwich Victoria	2007–08	15	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	15	1
	2008–09	41	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	41	4
	Subtotal	56	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	56	5
Altrincham	2009–10	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	1
Central Coast Mariners	2009–10	13	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	13	0
Altrincham	2010–11	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Total		169	10	2	0	3	0	9	1	183	11

Wrexham

• Football League Trophy: 2004–05^[15]

• Matt Crowell at Soccerbase
• Central Coast Mariners profile