Craig Bryson
Craig James Bryson (born 6 November 1986) is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Bryson is now a strength and conditioning coach with Kilmarnock FC Women, in addition to owning a gym based in Kilmarnock called Total Fitness
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Bryson playing for Kilmarnock in 2009 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Craig James Bryson | ||
| Date of birth | 6 November 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Rutherglen, Scotland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | East Kilbride (Fitness & Condition Coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Westwood Rovers | |||
| –2003 | Gardenhall | ||
| 2003–2007 | Clyde | ||
| 2004 | → East Kilbride Thistle (loan) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2007 | Clyde | 92 | (8) |
| 2007–2011 | Kilmarnock | 118 | (12) |
| 2011–2019 | Derby County | 251 | (40) |
| 2017–2018 | → Cardiff City (loan) | 22 | (2) |
| 2019–2020 | Aberdeen | 10 | (0) |
| 2020–2022 | St Johnstone | 29 | (0) |
| 2022 | Stenhousemuir | 8 | (1) |
| Total | 525 | (62) | |
| International career | |||
| 2006 | Scotland U21 | 1 | (0) |
| 2010–2016 | Scotland | 3 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Bryson began his career at Scottish First Division club Clyde, for whom he made his professional debut in 2004. He moved to Scottish Premier League club Kilmarnock in 2007 before being bought by Derby County in 2011. At Derby, Bryson twice won the club's Player of the Year Award in 2012 and 2014. He was also named to the PFA Championship Team of the Year in 2014. He became the first Derby player to score a hat-trick against their fierce rivals Nottingham Forest in 116 years when he did so in a 5–0 win in March 2014.
Bryson was loaned to Cardiff City during the 2017–18 season and left Derby in 2019 to sign for Aberdeen. After stints with St Johnstone and Stenhousemuir, he retired from playing in September 2022. He also played in three full international matches for Scotland between 2010 and 2016.