Bio:
Craig Conway is a former Scottish winger who began his career at Ayr United before making his name at Dundee United.
His biggest moment came in 2010 when he scored twice and won player of the match in the Scottish Cup Final in a 3-0 win over Ross County. The winger’s performance helped Dundee United secure a famous victory at Hampden Park, cementing his place in the club’s history.
His pace, direct running and eye for goal made him one of the standout attacking players in Scottish football during that period. Conway later moved to England, where he continued his career with Cardiff City and Blackburn Rovers, gaining experience in the English leagues.
He also earned international recognition, representing the Scotland national football team at senior level. He made his debut in 2009 against Japan and went on to play seven times for his country.
Today, Conway is remembered for his memorable cup final performance and his contribution to one of Dundee United’s most celebrated modern triumphs.
Craig, at what age do you know you develop a love of the game and a sense that this is what you want to do for your career?
As early as I can remember, probably from around 7 or 8 years old, I started playing for a club.
What clubs did you play for at a youth level?
So I started off at Kilmarnock Portland, and then I went to Caledonian. I also played with Onthank AFC and Rowallan.
Who was your inspiration growing up?
So I was a big Celtic fan, even had a season ticket, so I’d probably say Paulo Di Canio or Henrick Larson, and so did a lot of people my age.
Who was the best player you played with?
We had a really good team at Caledonian, won the Scottish Cup, so we had players like Johnny Bailey, Gary Robertson, Danny Robertson and Stevie Masterman, who was really good.
Who was the best player you played against?
So, I played against a lot of lads who made it, Alan Hutton, Ryan Stevenson, Steven Naismith and other top players.
Who was your favourite coach throughout your youth career?
Good question, Jim Morrison, who was my coach at Caledonian, who was really good and influential, and also a guy called Sammy Collin, who was also very good.
If you could give one piece of advice to the younger generation looking to become pro, what would it be?
There’s a lot of different answers I could give however the main one is you’ve got to have resilience so very, very few footballers who have made it have had setbacks like getting released or injuries. I think it’s very important to dust yourself down and get going again and that’s what finishes a lot of young lads off, so it’s so crucial to have that part of your game.
