 = Richard Cresswell = 
 
 Richard Paul Wesley Cresswell ( born 20 September 1977 ) is an English semi @-@ professional footballer who plays for Northern Counties East League Premier Division club <unk> Albion . He primarily plays as a striker but can also play as a winger . 
 Cresswell started his career with York City in their youth system , making his first team debut in a Second Division match in 1996 . Having scored 19 goals for York in the 1998 – 99 season he signed for Premier League team Sheffield Wednesday in 1999 . After their relegation the following year he joined Leicester City of the Premier League , but was loaned to First Division side Preston North End in 2001 and played for them in the 2001 First Division play @-@ off Final . He signed for Preston permanently in the summer . He had four full seasons with Preston , scoring a career best 21 goals in the 2004 – 05 season , which culminated in defeat in the 2005 Championship play @-@ off Final . 
 He signed for Championship rivals Leeds United in 2005 . He had a number of knee injuries while with Leeds and following their relegation to League One in 2007 was signed by Stoke City . With Stoke he won promotion to the Premier League as Championship runners @-@ up , with Cresswell scoring 12 goals in the 2007 – 08 season . He spent one full season in the Premier League with Stoke before signing for Championship side Sheffield United on loan in 2009 , before signing permanently in 2010 . United were relegated to League One in 2011 , and Cresswell played in their defeat in the 2012 League One play @-@ off Final . He was made player @-@ coach at the club in 2012 before rejoining his first club York City in 2013 , initially on loan . 
 
 = = Club career = = 
 
 
 = = = York City = = = 
 
 Cresswell was born in Bridlington , East Riding of Yorkshire to George and Denise ( née <unk> ) . He started playing for Bridlington Rangers at the age of eight before joining the York City youth system aged 14 in 1991 . Having been top scorer for the Northern Intermediate League team for three consecutive seasons , he signed a professional contract on 15 November 1995 . Cresswell made his first team debut away to Brentford in a 2 – 0 defeat in the Second Division on 20 January 1996 . He first scored for York with the second goal of a 2 – 2 draw away at Bradford City on 2 March 1996 . This proved to be his only goal in the 1995 – 96 season , in which he made 17 appearances . 
 Having failed to score in 22 appearances for York in the 1996 – 97 season , Cresswell joined Third Division side Mansfield Town on loan on 27 March 1997 , making his debut in a 0 – 0 draw away to Exeter City on 29 March . He scored his first and only goal for Mansfield in a 1 – 0 win away to Rochdale on 5 April 1997 , before finishing the loan with five appearances . He scored four goals in 30 games for York in 1997 – 98 , and during this season he was barracked by a small section of the York support . 
 Cresswell admitted he had not made the impact he had hoped to in the York first team , but ahead of the 1998 – 99 season said " I 've had some stick from a small number of fans , but hopefully I can prove them wrong . I will prove them wrong . This a big season for me . I want to do it for York City . I want to do it for myself . " After a positive start to the season , Cresswell attracted attention from other clubs , with a number of scouts attending matches to watch him play . Manager Alan Little claimed some clubs were making illegal approaches for the player , and that this was having a detrimental effect on his performances . Preston North End manager David <unk> claimed his club had a bid of more than £ 500 @,@ 000 for Cresswell rejected , while York chairman Douglas Craig rejected this , saying a formal offer had not been received from any club . He was York 's top scorer in the 1998 – 99 season with 19 goals from 42 appearances . 
 
 = = = Sheffield Wednesday = = = 
 
 He made a move to Premier League side Sheffield Wednesday on a four @-@ year contract on 25 March 1999 , with the £ 950 @,@ 000 fee being the highest received for a York player . On his transfer , Cresswell said : " This move is no disrespect to York , it 's just that I have always wanted to play at a much bigger club and as high as possible " . Manager Danny Wilson described Cresswell as " one for the future " after admitting the player " is not the striker people may perceive as the big one we were chasing " . His debut came in Wednesday 's 2 – 1 home defeat to Coventry City on 3 April 1999 , before scoring his first goal with an 87th @-@ minute winner at home to Liverpool in a 1 – 0 win on 8 May . He finished the 1998 – 99 season with one goal in seven games for Wednesday . Cresswell completed the 1999 – 2000 season with two goals in 25 appearances , having been given few opportunities in the team , as Wednesday were relegated to the First Division . 
 
 = = = Leicester City = = = 
 
 Cresswell struggled to establish himself at Wednesday under manager Paul Jewell early in the 2000 – 01 season , before he resumed playing in the Premier League after signing for Leicester City on 1 September 2000 for a fee of £ 750 @,@ 000 . Leicester were managed by Peter Taylor , who previously worked with Cresswell previously in the England under @-@ 21 team . He made his debut in their 1 – 1 draw at home to Red Star <unk> in the UEFA Cup on 14 September 2000 . He scored once in 13 appearances for Leicester , his goal coming against former club York in a 3 – 0 home win in the FA Cup third round on 6 January 2001 , having failed to establish himself in the team . 
 
 = = = Preston North End = = = 
 
 Cresswell joined First Division club Preston North End on loan for the remainder of the 2000 – 01 season on 10 March 2001 and scored five minutes into his debut , a 2 – 0 win at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on 14 March . He came on as an 82nd minute substitute in their 3 – 0 defeat to Bolton Wanderers in the 2001 First Division play @-@ off Final at the Millennium Stadium on 28 May 2001 . After scoring two goals in 14 appearances he signed for Preston permanently on a four @-@ year contract for a fee of £ 500 @,@ 000 on 14 July 2001 . 
 Cresswell was Preston 's top scorer in his first two permanent seasons with Preston , scoring 15 goals in 44 appearances in 2001 – 02 and scoring 16 in 46 games in 2002 – 03 . He was also named Preston 's Player of the Year for the 2001 – 02 season . He received the first red card of his career in Preston 's 4 – 1 defeat away at Coventry City on 17 March 2004 after he was judged to have kicked out at opponent player <unk> Davenport , although both managers later admitted David <unk> was the <unk> . He scored three goals in 47 appearances in the 2003 – 04 season . 
 Cresswell drew praise from manager Billy Davies during the 2004 – 05 season , " Richard is very capable of that and it is important that we keep creating chances for <unk> as we know that he will put the ball in the back of the net " , although he admitted the team were over reliant on Cresswell 's goals . He enjoyed his best goal return in the 2004 – 05 season , top scoring for Preston with 21 goals in 52 games . This helped Preston reach the 2005 Championship play @-@ off Final , where they were beaten 1 – 0 by West Ham United at the Millennium Stadium . Cresswell played poorly in the first half , but had a number of chances on goal during the second half . 
 
 = = = Leeds United = = = 
 
 Cresswell was bought by Championship rivals Leeds United on a four @-@ year contract on 24 August 2005 for a fee of £ 1 @.@ 15 million , after rivals Sheffield United had a £ 1 million bid accepted . After the signing was completed , manager Kevin Blackwell said " To get a player of Cresswell 's quality is amazing " , while Cresswell cited his desire to win automatic promotion with Leeds . He first found the net with two goals in Leeds ' League Cup 2 – 0 away victory against Rotherham United on 20 September 2005 . However , Cresswell suffered knee ligament damage in a match against Derby County eight days later . This injury kept Cresswell out of action for seven weeks , making his return in Leeds ' 1 – 0 defeat away to Wolves on 17 December 2005 , and scoring in his second match back against Coventry City in a 3 – 1 home win on 26 December . Another knee injury picked up during a training session in February 2006 kept him out of the team until he entered Leeds ' 1 – 1 draw with former club Preston in the Championship play @-@ off semi @-@ final first leg as a 78th @-@ minute substitute on 5 May 2006 . However , he was sent off in the 2 – 0 win in the second leg , meaning he was suspended for the 2006 Championship play @-@ off Final , which Leeds lost 3 – 0 to <unk> at the Millennium Stadium . He finished the 2005 – 06 season with 21 appearances and seven goals . 
 Having damaged his knee ligaments during the play @-@ off semi @-@ final , Cresswell missed the start of the 2006 – 07 season , making his first appearance in Leeds ' 4 – 0 home defeat to Stoke City on 14 October 2006 . However , he sustained a knee injury in November 2006 , after scoring his first goal of the campaign in Leeds ' 3 – 0 home win over Colchester United on 11 November . His return from injury came as a 68th @-@ minute substitute in a 2 – 1 victory at home to Crystal Palace on 10 February 2007 . Cresswell scored in successive games against Sheffield Wednesday and Luton Town in March 2007 , but Leeds were eventually relegated to League One . He finished the season with four goals in 23 games . 
 
 = = = Stoke City = = = 
 
 Leeds were resigned to losing their senior players after going into administration , with Championship side Stoke City signing Cresswell on a three @-@ year contract for an undisclosed fee on 2 August 2007 , after Hull City had pulled out of a deal after expressing concerns following his medical . He made his debut in a 1 – 0 win at Cardiff City on 11 August 2007 , before scoring in his second appearance with an equaliser during stoppage time of extra time in a 2 – 2 draw away to Rochdale in the League Cup first round on 14 August , although Stoke lost 4 – 2 in a penalty shoot @-@ out . He scored the last ever goal at Colchester United 's <unk> Road ground in a 1 – 0 win . Cresswell made 46 appearances for Stoke in the 2007 – 08 season , scoring 12 goals , as the club won promotion the Premier League as Championship runners @-@ up . He was regularly used on the left wing by Stoke manager Tony <unk> , even though his natural position is as a striker . He was quoted as saying he enjoyed playing as a winger , saying " I do my best , and I am quite a fit lad so I get through quite a bit of <unk> " . During the 2008 – 09 season Cresswell played on the wing and as a striker , featuring in 34 games and scoring one goal . 
 
 = = = Sheffield United = = = 
 
 Having struggled for appearances with Stoke since their promotion to the Premier League , Cresswell joined Championship outfit Sheffield United on a three @-@ month loan on 29 September 2009 and made his debut the same day as a 76th @-@ minute substitute against Ipswich Town in a 3 – 3 home draw . Starting the following game he scored a 65th @-@ minute equaliser against Doncaster Rovers in a 1 – 1 draw at home on 3 October 2009 . He joined United permanently on a one @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half @-@ year contract for an undisclosed fee on 5 January 2010 , going on to finish the 2009 – 10 season as top scorer with 14 goals . He was rewarded with a new three @-@ year contract with the club in June 2010 . He scored five goals in 36 games in the 2010 – 11 season as United were relegated to League One . 
 With United now in League One , Cresswell formed a striking partnership with <unk> Evans , making 51 appearances and scoring 10 goals in 2011 – 12 . The club failed to achieve promotion however , being beaten 8 – 7 in a penalty shoot @-@ out by Huddersfield Town in the 2012 League One play @-@ off Final at Wembley Stadium on 26 May 2012 , in which Cresswell was substituted for Chris Porter in the 85th minute . As a result of financial circumstances Cresswell and Nick Montgomery were made available for transfer during August 2012 , with manager Danny Wilson explaining that " They were both fit , they were left out for financial reasons " . Towards the end of the transfer window however United agreed a revised deal to change his role to that of player @-@ coach and as such he would be remaining at Bramall Lane for the foreseeable future . On his return to the side , Cresswell came on as a substitute and scored a header in United 's 5 – 3 victory over Bournemouth on 1 September 2012 . 
 
 = = = Return to York City = = = 
 
 Cresswell rejoined his first club York City , playing in League Two , on a one @-@ month loan on 19 March 2013 . He marked his second York debut by scoring a 73rd minute penalty kick on 23 March 2013 away at Torquay United in a 2 – 1 defeat . He played an important role as York fought against relegation , scoring twice in five appearances , before being recalled by new United caretaker manager Chris Morgan on 15 April 2013 . In July 2013 new United manager David Weir stated that Cresswell would be leaving the club , before he signed for York permanently on a one @-@ year contract on 16 July 2013 . His first appearance after signing permanently came in the first game of the 2013 – 14 season , a 1 – 0 home win over Northampton Town on 3 August 2013 . Cresswell retired from playing on 5 December 2013 , as a result of an eye complaint and a knee injury . He made eight appearances for York in the 2013 – 14 season . 
 
 = = International career = = 
 
 Cresswell was called up to the England national under @-@ 21 team while with York , making his debut in a 2 – 1 home victory over France in a friendly on 9 February 1999 . He continued to play for the under @-@ <unk> after joining Wednesday , and scored his first goal for them in a 3 – 0 home win over Sweden in a 2000 UEFA European Under @-@ 21 Championship qualification match on 4 June 1999 . Cresswell finished his under @-@ 21 career with four caps and one goal . 
 
 = = Coaching career = = 
 
 Cresswell returned to York as a commercial , academy and community development consultant in April 2014 , having previously intended to pursue a career in coaching . He took on the position of Head of Football Operations , before being appointed as first team coach to manager Russ Wilcox in March 2015 . In May 2015 , Cresswell resumed his role as Head of Football Operations , while continuing to coach the first team . He took over as caretaker manager on 26 October 2015 after Wilcox 's sacking , and would be assisted by youth team coach Jonathan <unk> and <unk> coach Andy <unk> . He was in charge for the 1 – 0 away defeat to Crawley Town on 31 October 2015 , before <unk> his caretaker duties upon the appointment of Jackie McNamara as manager on 4 November . Cresswell left York by mutual consent on 16 December 2015 . He resumed his playing career aged 38 when signing for Northern Counties East League Premier Division club <unk> Albion on 7 April 2016 . 
 
 = = Personal life = = 
 
 Cresswell married Zoe Chapman at Christ Church , Bridlington on 7 June 2003 , with former York City teammate Jonathan <unk> being his joint best man . He took part in a 170 mile bike ride during 2012 to raise money for a charity which helps children with <unk> 's syndrome , after his twin <unk> were diagnosed with the disorder . 
 
 = = Career statistics = = 
 
 As of match played 14 April 2016 . 
 
 = = Managerial statistics = = 
 
 As of 4 November 2015 . 
 
 = = Honours = = 
 
 Stoke City 
 Football League Championship runner @-@ up : 2007 – 08 
 Individual 
 Preston North End Player of the Year : 2001 – 02 
 
 