Millenium Faulcon

In a candid chat with FID former Reds striker Craig Faulconbridge recalls netting against Celtic and Manchester United; sharing injuries with Premier League players; pissing off Millwall fans and the arduous nature of being a lower league manager.


Craig Faulconbridge is partial to a good W. That is, a team beginning with that letter.

After three seasons for Wrexham between the turn of the millennium and the early Noughties he spent just as many at Wycombe Wanderers before rocking up at our next opponents (on 26/08/17) Woking in 2009.

So, it offered us the perfect excuse to catch up with a striker who confesses he should never have quit Wrexham for leafy Buckinghamshire.

There was a time when it looked as if the Nuneaton-born player was destined for greater things.

A 19-year-old Faulconbridge was loaned to Dunfermline by Coventry City and he wasted little time endearing himself to the Pars fans.

As the 1997/98 season drew to a close Celtic tipped up at East End Park ready to clinch the title ahead of Rangers.

However, Faulconbridge had other ideas as the substitute equalised late on with a looping header that even he did not expect to see nestle in the back of the net. That pushed the title race to the final weekend with the Hoops eventually capturing the crown.

https://youtu.be/eSCxNUMj-Gk

“I had no idea what was going on to be honest,” the now 39-year-old ‘Faulcs’ told us. “I just remember it dropping over Jonathan Gould in goal and thinking ‘now what do I do?!”

Returning to Coventry

Surely his heroics north of the border would have crowbarred him into the Sky Blues first team reckoning?

“Yeah, I thought I’d go back (and get into the team) but it wasn’t to be.

“I left City in the summer and was a free agent. I remember playing against Wrexham for Hull (on loan) in the cup and did pretty well against them. I also had a really good pre-season that year. I think I scored in most the games including Blackburn at home, which forced the decision from Brian Flynn to sign me.”

Wrexham Calling

When the Faulcon landed in North Wales he joined a side packed with talent which for some reason could not finish higher than 10th in Division Two. In his third and final season at the Racecourse Wrexham were relegated.

“I’ll be honest with you I had the best three years at the club,” he recalls. “I had so many highlights as the team to begin with was great — good lads that played and did everything together.

“The likes of Morrell, (Steve) Thomas, (Michael) Blackwood, Dan Williams, Gareth Owen…good players. Lee Trundle was the best there who I played with.”

  • Faulconbridge runs to congratulate Lee Trundle on yet another spectacular goal

Faulconbridge cites sticking one past Mark Bosnich when Manchester United arrived in town for a friendly as one of his many highlights at the club.

“It was very hard to play against Jaap Stam.

  • Faulcs tries an unusual tactic to put off Yoo-nigh-ted hard man Jaap Stam

“I think the most memorable game was Luton away when we came in 3-0 down at half-time and ran out 4-3 winners.”

Faulconbridge began the Wrexham fightback with a 59th minute header at Kenilworth Road before on-loan striker Chris Killen grabbed his second in three games four minutes later.

Martyn Chalk made it 3-3 on 83 minutes before Darren Ferguson capped a crazy turnaround with the winner three minutes from time.

Wrexham were partial to toying with the opposition around this time with Faulconbridge playing a key role.

On February 24, 2001 he capped another superb comeback at the Bescot Stadium.

The Reds playing in all blue were 2-0 down to Walsall at the break before goals from Trundle and Kevin Russell got us back on level terms.

With full-time looming Trundle turned provider for Faulconbridge to stab home the winner to leave a side containing Dean Keates and former Reds loanee Paul Hall utterly stunned.

“It was a bit special that one”, said the match-winner.

http://youtu.be/GDjpTfbyIpw

I Predict A Riot

Faulconbridge made 111 appearances for Wrexham, netting 31 times.

Celebrating one in particular nearly sparked urban warfare.

On Saturday, April 28, 2001 around 3,000 Millwall fans arrived at Wrexham hoping to see their side clinch the point needed to secure promotion to Division One.

The ref took the players off the pitch after just six minutes when a group of Millwall nutters stormed their way into the Mold Road Stand looking for a tear up.

After a brief delay and with order restored the teams returned to the pitch. Two minutes in and Faulconbridge scored.

“I scored in front of their fans and stupidly celebrated in front of them which sparked a pitch invasion 😂👀”, he said, emojis included.

Tim Cahill’s equaliser prompted another pitch invasion before tv Dragon Theo Paphitis appealed for calm in the away end via the tannoy system.

Wandering with regret

With Faulconbridge’s contract set to expire at the end of the 2001/02 campaign he was offered a new deal. He declined it and, in hindsight, says it was a mistake.

“I was out of contract and felt a move was needed to push on. I was wrong.

“I got injured almost as soon as I left and never really recovered. I guess it was fate telling me I made a mistake in leaving.”

  • Faulconbridge as a Chairboy, complete with ear studs

Whilst the grass is not always greener there was another silver lining awaiting Faulconbridge at Wycombe.

Crocked and seeking solace he went on a night out and met Amie, his wife of 11 years in waiting.

“I met her after the first year. I went out when I was injured when I wasn’t supposed to and there she was.”

The forward, who has three boys with Amie scored eight goals in 58 appearances for Wycombe before knackered knees saw him quit the game temporarily.

“I fell out of football for about four or fivr years. I had a femoral condyle defect on both knees — articular cartilage arthritis at just 24!!!

“Jamie Redknapp and Ledley King had the same, basically the worst you can get aside from breaking your leg in half.

“I went on the building site for three or four years then mum died just before I turned 30, which sprung me back to football and coaching and woke me up a bit.

“I got my qualifications and on the way went from Saturday morning footy to Woking.”

  • Faulconbridge rises highest vs Northampton Town

Return of the Faulc

The enforced break appeared to give Faulconbridge a new lease of life where football was concerned.

“I did really well at Woking. I joined with about 12 games to go and we needed to win 10 of them to get in the playoffs. We did just that and I think I scored between eight and 10 goals in that time.

I scored on my away debut and after 26 seconds on my home debut against Basingstoke. Some cracking goals in that one — I think it’s still on YouTube!
I spent 18 months there and did okay.”

Whilst Faulconbridge still pulls on his boots he has ventured into management.

He had a brief spell in charge Aylesbury and is now overseeing the reserves at Thame Rangers.

He plays (in defence as well as attack), he manages, runs a football academy for 16-19-year-olds and also owns his own coaching company Advanced Sport Ltd. Not bad for a former pro who could have so easily become disillusioned with the game.

“I still miss it although I never took it for granted. I had regrets when I was a player — I know I could have worked harder, looked after myself better. But, you know what, I have a great family and wouldn’t change that for the world.

“I love coaching. I get so enthusiastic but I don’t like letting people down. You know, the nasty side of management.

“Your expectations are hard to meet. It is genuinely hard to get players to train all the time and do it with a smile on their faces.”

  • Faulcs dreamt it and ultimately achieved it

Faulconbridge still keeps an eye on Wrexham’s results and hopes they can return to the Football League at the tenth attempt.

“It breaks my heart to be honest, seeing the club where it is. Wrexham was my first real go at league football. I was welcomed by the fans well. When I returned with Wycombe and was booed… I felt it wasn’t because they hated me but because I left.”

The Faulconbridge Family

Pic credits: Getty, Alamy, Google and Craig himself.

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Fearless In Devotion

Written by

CPD Wrecsam. By the fans for the fans. European pedigree stuck in the fifth division. We will rise again.

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