Craig Sives

Craig Stuart Sives (born 9 April 1986) is a Scottish former professional association football player who played as a defender. Sivers began his career with Edinburgh club Heart of Midlothian, where he made two appearances and was sent on loan to Partick Thistle and Queen of the South. He subsequently played with Irish club Shamrock Rovers and Australian side Hume City, before returning to Scotland to play for Livingston. After a brief loan spell with Cowdenbeath in 2016, he signed for the club permanently, playing thirteen matches before retiring from football in January 2017.

Craig Sives
Personal information
Full name Craig Stuart Sives
Date of birth (1986-04-09) 9 April 1986
Place of birth Edinburgh, Scotland
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Playing position(s) Centre back, Right back
Youth career
1992–2000 Hutchison Vale
2000–2002 Heart of Midlothian
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2009 Heart of Midlothian 2 (0)
2006–2007 → Partick Thistle (loan) 17 (1)
2007–2008 → Queen of the South (loan) 10 (0)
2009–2012 Shamrock Rovers 87 (5)
2013 Hume City 21 (2)
2014–2016 Livingston 38 (5)
2016 → Cowdenbeath (loan) 7 (1)
2016–2017 Cowdenbeath 8 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12:55, 9 January 2017 (UTC)

Career

Sives attended Oxgangs Primary School and Firrhill High School, and played for youth club Hutchison Vale, before signing for boyhood favourites Hearts in June 2002.[1] After impressing in the club's under-19 and reserve teams, the towering centre back was given his debut in the 2004 Festival Cup against Hibernian, scoring the opening goal in a 3–1 win.[2] He made two league starts in the 2004–05 season, but he did not make any appearances during 2005–06 because of a serious back injury.

Sives signed a 5-year contract in July 2006 and spent the 2006–07 season on loan with Partick Thistle to gain further experience. Despite a good start to his Thistle career, he was again sidelined by injury in early November 2006 when a groin injury suffered incapacitated him for five months. He returned for the last two months of the season[3] but it later transpired that he had been playing with a double hernia, which was repaired by an operation in May 2007.

Dundee signed him on loan for the 2007–08 season, but he did not play any competitive matches due to injuries.[4] Sives then signed for Dumfries club Queen of the South on a short-term loan deal on 1 September 2008.[5] He returned to Hearts in December 2008 after playing the whole of November with an ankle ligament tear.[6]

In January 2009 after three-and-a-half injury-plagued seasons, he was released from his contract at Hearts.[7] After being released by the club, Sives became the latest opponent to be critical of Vladimir Romanov the way he run the club, describing this as "shambles".[8]

Almost immediately after his release from Hearts he played for Tynecastle, as a trialist, in an East of Scotland Football League match against Stirling University in which Tynecastle won 2–1. He partnered his younger brother Steven in the centre of the Tynecastle defence.

In March 2009, after a failed medical, Shamrock Rovers offered him a career lifeline as a non-paid member of their squad while he went through a rehabilitation program with the club's medical staff.[9] He was rewarded with a short-term contract in May 2009. Sives made his Rovers debut in an FAI Cup clash at the Tallaght Stadium on 13 June 2009 against Drogheda United.[10] He was voted Rovers' Young Player of The Year on 7 November 2009 by the club's fans.[11]

Sives scored his first goal for the Hoops in August 2010 against Sporting Fingal, with both side drew.[12] He helped Rovers win their first League of Ireland championship in 16 years on the final day of the 2010 season after a 2–2 draw in Bray.[13] Craig played a major part in Rovers very successful 2011 season, winning the League of Ireland, Setanta Cup and playing in the Europa League group stages. He missed Rovers final 2 group stage matches due to his 2nd double hernia operation.

He was named in the 2011 League of Ireland PFAI Premier Division Team of the Year on 13 November and was voted Rovers' Player of The Year on 1 December 2011 by the fans[14] The following month, Sives signed a new deal with the club.[15]

After 120 competitive appearances, including 15 in European competition, for Rovers, Sives left Ireland for Australia in November 2012.[16][17] He scored on his Hume City Debut against Port Melbourne[18]

On 31 January 2014, Sives moved to Livingston, signing an 18-month contract.[19] After the move, Sives was later grateful under manager John McGlynn.[20] Sives moved on loan to Scottish League One side Cowdenbeath in March 2016, until the end of the season.[21] The move was made permanent during the summer of 2016, with Sives signing a two-year contract.[22] However, after finding it difficult to adjust to part-time football, Cowdenbeath agreed to release Sives from his contract, with the player anticipating that he would likely retire from football in order to pursue full-time employment away from the game.[22]

International

He has played for Scotland at Schoolboy,[23][24] Under 17, 18 and 19[25] level.

Honours
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References
  1. "Young guns take first steps at Tynecastle". The Scotsman. 18 June 2002.
  2. "Dream come true for Sives". Hearts of Midlothian Official Website. 7 September 2004. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011.
  3. "Sives' basic instinct is survival after injury hell". The Evening Times. 30 March 2012.
  4. Dundee 2007/2008 player appearances, Soccerbase.
  5. Sives moves to Queen of the South, BBC Sport, 1 September 2008.
  6. Kinniburgh joins Queens on loan, BBC Sport, 8 December 2008.
  7. "Hearts release four". Hearts of Midlothian Official Website. 27 January 2009. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  8. "Former Hearts starlet Craig Sives blasts boyhood heroes as 'shambles as he lifts lid on Tynecastle regime". Daily Recird. 1 October 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  9. "Ex-Hibs star O'Neill loves Shamrock job". Edinburgh Evening News. 18 March 2009.
  10. "Report - Rovers 1 Drogheda Utd 1". Shamrock Rovers Official Website. 13 June 2009. Archived from the original on 23 February 2012.
  11. "Player of Year Awards winners". Shamrock Rovers Official Website. 8 November 2009. Archived from the original on 23 February 2012.
  12. "Sporting Fingal 3 - 3 Shamrock Rovers". Extra Time.ire. 1 August 2010.
  13. "O'Neill relieved to seal title". RTE Sport. 30 October 2010. Archived from the original on 2 November 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2014.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  14. "Player of Year Awards". Shamrock Rovers Official Website. 3 December 2011. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
  15. "Shamrock Rovers defender Craig Sives signs new deal while Pat Sullivan leaves club". Goal.com. 13 January 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  16. "Craig Sives - Unassigned". Extra Time.ie.
  17. "Hume announces six new signings". MFootball.au. 16 January 2013. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  18. "One goal enough for Hume to beat Sharks". Football Federation Victoria Website. 8 April 2013.
  19. "Craig Sives jumps on board". livingstonfc.co.uk. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  20. "It's better late than never for ex Jambo Craig Sives". Edinburgh Evening News. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  21. "New Signing". cowdenbeathfc.com. 11 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  22. "Craig Sives". Cowdenbeath FC. 9 January 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  23. "Football". Tes.co.uk. 12 May 2008. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2009.
  24. "Capital starlets to take off on a trip of a lifetime". The Scotsman. 9 February 2002.
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