{{short description|Scottish association football player}} {{Use British English|date=December 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Craig Hinchliffe | image = Craig Hinchcliffe 30-04-2016 1.jpg | image_size = 200 | caption = Hinchliffe with York City in 2016 | fullname = Craig Peter Hinchliffe | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|5|5|df=y}} | birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland | height = | position = Goalkeeper | currentclub = Aberdeen (goalkeeping coach) | years1 = 1991–1992 | years2 = 1992–1995 | years3 = 1995–2003 | years4 = 2003–2007 | years5 = 2007 | years6 = 2007–2013 | clubs1 = Albion Rovers | clubs2 = Elgin City | clubs3 = Arbroath | clubs4 = St Mirren | clubs5 = → Queen of the South (loan) | clubs6 = Partick Thistle | caps1 = 1 | caps2 = 104 | caps3 = 164 | caps4 = 65 | caps5 = 5 | caps6 = 13 | goals1 = 0 | goals2 = 0 | goals3 = 0 | goals4 = 0 | goals5 = 0 | goals6 = 0 }} '''Craig Hinchliffe''' (born 5 May 1972) is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently the goalkeeping coach at Aberdeen.
==Playing career== Hinchliffe made one Scottish Football League (SFL) appearance for Albion Rovers in the 1991/92 season, before moving to Highland League club Elgin City. In 1995, he moved back into the SFL with Arbroath, where he made nearly 200 appearances for the club. In the summer of 2003 he transferred to St Mirren and made 70 appearances, including several in their promotion season in 2005–06. In the 2006–07 season, he played a handful of games for Queen of the South during a loan spell at the Dumfries club.
In the summer of 2007, he signed for Partick Thistle as goalkeeper and goalkeeper coach. Thistle's manager, Ian McCall, had also signed Hinchliffe (on loan) for Queen of the South. He was released at the end of the 2009/10 season but rejoined in a player-coach role in time for the 2010/11 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/p/partick_thistle/8783085.stm|title=Quartet sign on again at Firhill|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2 July 2010}}</ref>
==Coaching career== In April 2011, Hinchliffe continued his role under the new management team of Jackie McNamara and Simon Donnelly. McNamara and Donnelly left Partick Thistle in January 2013, with the club sitting in 2nd place, to join Dundee United. Hinchliffe worked closely with new caretaker manager Alan Archibald. Archibald later guided Thistle to the Championship gaining the Jags promotion to the Scottish Premiership with a 16-game unbeaten run. Despite Thistle's attempts to secure Hinchliffe's services he opted to rejoin Jackie McNamara and Simon Donnelly at Dundee United, signing a three-year deal in time for season 2013–2014.<ref>http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/sport/dundee-united/united-goalie-coach-has-big-say-in-selection-1.93527 {{dead link|date=July 2015 | fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/?redirect=%2Farabzone%2Fmatches|title=Dundee United Football Club|website=Dundee United Football Club}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33357866 |title=Dundee United: Goalkeeper Luis Zwick earns professional deal |publisher=BBC Sport |date=1 July 2015 |access-date=2 July 2015}}</ref> Hinchliffe left Dundee United in September 2015, following McNamara's departure.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34382964 |title=Dundee United confirm Jackie McNamara exit as manager |publisher=BBC Sport |date=28 September 2015 |access-date=28 September 2015}}</ref> In November 2015 he was appointed as goalkeeping coach at Airdrieonians,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Paterson|first1=Colin|title=Airdrieonians gaffer Gary Bollan questions why team paid derby-day penalty|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/airdrieonians-gaffer-gary-bollan-questions-6767517|accessdate=23 November 2015|newspaper=Daily Record|date=4 November 2015|location=Glasgow}}</ref> but a month later reunited with McNamara at League Two club York City.<ref>{{cite news |first=Dave |last=Flett |title=Craig Hinchliffe joins York City as goalkeeper coach |url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/sport/14137449.Craig_Hinchliffe_joins_York_City_as_goalkeeper_coach/ |newspaper=The Press |location=York |date=10 December 2015 |accessdate=10 December 2015}}</ref> Returning to Scotland, he became goalkeeping coach at Motherwell in June 2017.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Mullen|first1=Scott|title=Hinchcliffe new goalkeeping coach at Motherwell|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/15373047.Hinchcliffe_new_goalkeeping_coach_at_Motherwell/|accessdate=27 June 2017|work=The Herald|date=26 June 2017|location=Glasgow}}</ref> On 13 May, after 5 successful seasons at Motherwell working with Trevor Carson, Mark Gillespie and Liam Kelly, Hinchliffe returned to Dundee Utd for a second spell under Thomas Courts. Before the 22/23 SPFL season began Courts left the club.<ref>https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/3294308/dundee-united-craig-hinchliffe-motherwell-premiership-goalkeeping-coach/&usg=aovvaw0-kaev1xxokuoihykn9ebj/{{Dead link | date=February 2026 | fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> On June 21 2023, he was announced as St Johnstone's
On June 24 2024 he signed for Aberdeen F.C. as goalkeeper coach.<ref> {{cite web|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/c9wjxrgxnndo|title=Appointed Johnstone's goalkeeping coach|website=www.bbc.co.uk|date=21 June 2023}}</ref>
==Honours== '''St Mirren''' *Scottish Challenge Cup: 2005–06<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_cups/4403942.stm |title=St Mirren 2-1 Hamilton Accies |publisher=BBC |date=6 November 2005 |access-date=31 March 2021}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|Craig Hinchliffe}} *{{Soccerbase}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hinchliffe, Craig}} Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Glasgow Category:Scottish men's footballers Category:Men's association football goalkeepers Category:Albion Rovers F.C. players Category:Elgin City F.C. players Category:Arbroath F.C. players Category:St Mirren F.C. players Category:Queen of the South F.C. players Category:Partick Thistle F.C. players Category:Scottish Football League players Category:Dundee United F.C. non-playing staff Category:York City F.C. non-playing staff Category:Highland Football League players Category:Motherwell F.C. non-playing staff Category:Partick Thistle F.C. non-playing staff