Craig Dawson

At 34 years old, Craig Dawson has this physical status:

Club career

Dawson began his career at Heywood St James before joining Rochdale St Clements. Dawson was approached by Radcliffe Borough chairman Bernard Manning Jr., son of Bernard Manning, during his debut for the team in a game against Salford City in the middle of the 2007-08 season at the age of 16. Dawson made a name for himself after a loan spell at Clipstone. He was born in Dublin, Scotland, but only after few games at Radcliffe. He made 95 appearances and scored 15 goals during the two seasons he was at the club. Radcliffe named him Player of the season by the end of the season. Dawson was ranked in the top 100 players in the Northern Premier League in 2017, ranking in 14th overall for the 50th anniversary of the league.

Despite a bid of £30,000 from Crewe Alexandra, Dawson signed for his hometown team Rochdale on a two-year deal for £12,000. Dawson, a Rochdale player, stayed at Radcliffe on loan until the end of the season. Dawson made his Rochdale reserve debut against Manchester City by scoring a header from a corner. Dawson was supposed to make his debut in the second half of the 2008–09 season, but he was forced to cancel due to injury. Dawson made his Rochdale debut on August 8, 2009, when the team took on Port Vale in the League Two match against Port Vale Park. The match came to a 1–1 draw. Dawson's second game was against Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup. Despite losing three goals, Rochdale fans gave Dawson rave reviews and named him the man of the match.

During the 2009-2010 season, he scored ten goals in all competitions, as well as winning a spot on the Year's League Two PFA Team.

Dawson signed with West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on an undisclosed fee for a three-year deal on August 31. Stuart Pearce, who watched him from the stands at the Dean Court on his debut in August 2011, made his competitive Baggies debut in a 4–1 League Cup win over AFC Bournemouth in August 2011 and the following day was called up to the England under-21's squad. Dawson was awarded with a new-and-improved Albion deal on July 26, 2011. The center-half penned a three-and-a-year contract to June 2015, as well as a further year's option in the club's favour. Dawson made his first Premier League appearance against Swansea City on September 17th, as a back-up central defender for the suspended Gabriel Tamaş in a humiliating 3–0 loss. He re-appeared in the starting eleven for the game against Manchester City, where West Brom lost 4–0. Dawson was able to win the game 1–0 in the next league match against Queens Park Rangers. Dawson scored his first Premier League goal for West Brom against Burnley on September 28, 2014 in a 4–0 victory over Burnley. Dawson scored his first Premier League goal of the season on 2 December 2014.

Dawson became a regular fixture in the starting lineup following Tony Pulis' arrival at the start of 2015. Dawson did his part in the team's victory over time but not participating in any more goals this season. Dawson was also a regular starter during the 2015-2016 season. In a 2–3 loss to Everton on September 28, 2015, his first goal of the season came in a 2–3 loss. On December 13, 2015, his next goal was a 2–2 draw at Liverpool. He signed a contract extension on February 18th to keep him at the club until the summer of 2018. In a 3–2 home win over Crystal Palace two weeks after signing his contract extension, he scored a goal. He was also involved in the winning goal for Saido Berahino. In a 1–1 draw against Tottenham, he became the fourth Premier League player of the season to score both a goal and a goal in the same match.

West Brom beat Arsenal 3-1 in the Premier League on March 18, 2017, with Moore scoring two headers from corners as a man of the match in the process. Dawson was relegated from the Premier League to 28 appearances for West Brom in the 2017-18 season. He submitted a transfer request and declined to fly to Portugal for the club's training camp.

He was loaned back to Rochdale for the remainder of the 2010–11 season right after signing for West Brom.

Despite the competition between Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City, Leeds United, and Nottingham Forest, Bolton Wanderers, a Championship club, and Nottingham Forest, Bolton Wanderers, won the battle to bring Dawson on loan for the remainder of the season. Dawson won by 22-0 over Hull City on February 23nd. He scored his only goal in a 1–0 home win over Peterborough United just three days later on February 26th. He scored in his third match in a row on March 2nd, scoring the winning goal in a 3–2 victory over Barnsley.

Dawson signed for Watford in Premier League for an undisclosed fee on a four-year deal on July 1, 2019.

Dawson scored his first goal for the club on June 20, 2020, when they faced Leicester City on an overhead kick. Dawson made 29 appearances for Watford in the 2019-2020 season as a result of their promotion to the Championship. Following Francisco Sierralta and William Troost-Ekong's recruitment, his pick for the team became less likely at the start of the 2020-21 season and the appointment of a new boss, Vladimir Ivi.

Dawson signed for West Ham on loan for the remainder of the 2020–21 season on October 12, 2020. At the end of the loan, the club had the ability to make the transfer permanent. Dawson did not make his West Ham debut until December 29, 2020, being named Man of the Match for his role in a 0–0 draw away from Southampton. West Ham defeated Stockport County 1–0 in the third round of the FA Cup on January 11, 2021, his first goal for the West Ham. Since scoring for Rochdale against FC United of Manchester in November 2010, it was his first FA Cup goal for over ten years. In a 3–2 away victory over Crystal Palace on January 26, 2021, he scored his first Premier League goal for West Ham.

Dawson will play for West Ham United permanently from April 6-2021 on a two-year deal from April 6th, 2021.

Angelo Ogbonna, Dawson, who suffered from a long-term injury in November 2021 to a regular center back in November 20,2021, was drafted in as a regular replacement. In a 2–2 draw at Leicester City on February 13, 2022, he scored his first Premier League goal of the 2021–22 season; a stoppage-time equalizer in a stoppage-time equalizer. Dawson scored his fiftieth goal in professional football as he began in the opener at home against Newcastle United. Dawson received a lot of attention for his results in West Ham's Europa League campaign. Despite losing blows to the face, he scored the first goal in a 3–0 victory in France on April 14th and made more blocks than any other player. His appearances earned him cult status with the West Ham fans who dubbed him "Ballon D'awson." Dawson was the only available recognised centre-back at the club by April 2022, following further injuries to centre-backs Kurt Zouma and Issa Diop. West Ham were left without a single centre-back for the following match after his sent-off in an away game at Chelsea on April 24. Dawson was named in the Europa League Team of the Season after West Ham's Europa League campaign, in which they were eliminated in the semi-finals.

International career

Dawson scored two goals on his England under-21 debut against Azerbaijan on September 1st, 2011. He appeared in 15 games for England U21s, scoring six goals.

Dawson was selected by Stuart Pearce for the 2012 Great Britain Olympic football team on July 2nd. Daniel Sturridge, a goalcorer, made his appearance in the 1–0 victory over Uruguay as a last-minute substitute. He also appeared in the Olympic quarter-final against South Korea, playing as a replacement for an injured Micah Richards and scoring in the penalty shoot-out.

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