Carl Finnigan (born 1 October 1986) is an English footballer and plays for Dunston UTS.
![]() Finnigan in 2009 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | (1986-10-01) 1 October 1986 (age 36) | ||
Place of birth | Jarrow, England | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Dunston UTS | ||
Youth career | |||
0000–2001 | Jarrow | ||
2001–2003 | Newcastle United | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2003–2007 | Newcastle United | 0 | (0) |
2007–2011 | Falkirk | 113 | (25) |
2011–2012 | St Johnstone | 11 | (0) |
2012 | → Dundee (loan) | 5 | (3) |
2012–2013 | Dundee | 8 | (1) |
2013–2014 | Chippa United | 9 | (4) |
2014–2015 | Gateshead | 22 | (7) |
2015–2016 | Township Rollers | 21 | (9) |
2016–2019 | South Shields | 115 | (72) |
2019–2020 | Whickham | 19 | (11) |
2019–2020 | → Morpeth Town (loan) | 12 | (4) |
2020 | Morpeth Town | ||
2022– | Dunston UTS | 9 | (5) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:02, 22 April 2020 (UTC) |
He has played for teams in Botswana, England, Scotland and South Africa during his career.
Finnigan was born in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear.[1] As a youngster, he played for Jarrow F.C.'s under-age teams before joining Newcastle United.[2] He scored 56 goals for Newcastle's reserve and academy teams from 102 starts and 20 substitute appearances, but never appeared in a competitive first-team game.[3]
Finnigan joined Scottish Premier League club Falkirk on 23 January 2007, replacing Anthony Stokes who had left the "Bairns" to sign for Sunderland.[2] He made his Falkirk debut, and his first appearance in a senior league, as a second-half substitute against Kilmarnock on 27 January 2007.[4] The forward scored his first Bairns' goal three weeks later against Rangers, when he "played a neat one-two with Gow and drilled a shot beyond McGregor from the edge of the penalty area".[5] In the 2008–09 season, he played a major role, scoring twice and winning a penalty, in Falkirk's 4–0 victory over rivals Inverness Caledonian Thistle in what proved a successful fight against relegation.[6] He also scored the winner against the same opposition to take Falkirk through to the semi-final of the Scottish Cup,[7] and had a goal disallowed in the Cup Final.[8] Before the 2009–10 season, Finnigan signed a new one-year contract with Falkirk, with an option for a second year.[9]
On 24 June 2011, Finnigan signed for Scottish Premier League (SPL) club St Johnstone.[10] In February 2012, Finnigan signed on loan for Dundee.[11] He scored on his debut for Dundee, a late equaliser in a 1–1 draw with Falkirk after coming on as a second-half substitute. Finnigan then scored in a 3–2 win over Livingston. Finnigan returned to St Johnstone in April 2012 following a season-ending cartilage injury, but then signed for Dundee on 1 June.[11]
In August 2013, Finnigan joined South African National First Division side Chippa United on a one-year contract.[12] He scored on his debut on 6 October 2013 in a 1–1 draw with Thanda Royal Zulu[13] and went on to score a total of 4 goals in 9 league appearances.[14][15]
On 11 September 2014, it was announced that Finnigan had signed for Gateshead until the end of the season subject to international clearance.[16] He made his debut on 20 September as a half time substitute against Welling United, scoring the equaliser in a 1–1 draw within 5 minutes of coming off the bench.[17]
On 2 July 2015, Finnigan signed for Township Rollers of the Botswana Premier League scoring 9 goals within 21 appearances.[18]
On 26 August 2016 he signed for South Shields.[19] The club went on a 42-game win streak, getting promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One North and winning 4 trophies in one season.
On 23 May 2019 it was confirmed, that Finnigan had joined Whickham FC.[20] On 14 December 2019, he was loaned out to Morpeth Town A.F.C. for the rest of the season.[21]
In September 2022, Finnigan made his return to football after a year out when he joined Dunston UTS.[22]