{{short description|Welsh footballer}} {{Use British English|date=April 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Matt Crowell | image = | fullname = Matthew Thomas Crowell | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|7|3|df=y}} | birth_place = Bridgend, Wales | height = | position = Midfielder | youthyears1 = {{0|000}}–2000 |youthclubs1 = Swansea City | youthyears2 = 2000–2002 |youthclubs2 = Southampton | years1 = 2002–2003 |clubs1 = Southampton |caps1 = 0 |goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2003–2008 |clubs2 = Wrexham |caps2 = 93 |goals2 = 4 | years3 = 2008–2009 |clubs3 = Northwich Victoria |caps3 = 56 |goals3 = 5 | years4 = 2009 |clubs4 = Altrincham |caps4 = 5 |goals4 = 1 | years5 = 2009–2010 |clubs5 = Central Coast Mariners |caps5 = 13 |goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2010 |clubs6 = Altrincham |caps6 = 9 |goals6 = 0 | years7 = 2010 |clubs7 = Farnborough |caps7 = 2 |goals7 = 0 | years8 = 2011 |clubs8 = Port Talbot Town |caps8 = 4 |goals8 = 0 | years9 = 2011–2012 |clubs9 = CD Ourense |caps9 = 20 |goals9 = 0 | years10= 2012–2013 |clubs10 = Port Talbot Town |caps10= 24 |goals10= 1 | years11= 2013–2015 |clubs11 = CCM Academy |caps11= 44 |goals11= 2 | years12= 2016 |clubs12 = Maitland FC |caps12= 4 |goals12= 1 | years13= 2018–2019 |clubs13 = Central Coast United |caps13= 32 |goals13= 1 | totalcaps = 306 | totalgoals = 15 | nationalyears1 = 2001 |nationalteam1 = Wales U17 | nationalyears2 = 2002 |nationalteam2 = Wales U19 | nationalyears3 = 2003–2005 |nationalteam3 = Wales U21 | nationalcaps1 = 2 |nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalcaps2 = 3 |nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalcaps3 = 7 |nationalgoals3 = 1 }} '''Matthew Thomas Crowell''' (born 3 July 1984) is a Welsh retired footballer who last played for NSW Premier League side Central Coast Mariners Academy.
==Club career==
===Southampton=== Born in Bridgend, Crowell grew up in Coychurch. As a teenager he was part of the youth system at Swansea City before being persuaded to follow Swansea youth coach Malcolm Elias to Southampton at the age of 16 in 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Football:+Charles+out+of+Swans+youth+job.-a063780822 |title=Charles out of Swans youth job |work=Daily Mirror |date=1 August 2000 |access-date=2010-01-18}}</ref> Swansea took the case to the Football League appeals committee seeking compensation of £1.5 million. The committee later ordered Southampton to make an immediate payment of £100,000 to Swansea, as well as a further £100,000 when Crowell had made 10, 20, 30 and 40 appearances in the future and 20% of any future transfer fee that the club received for Crowell. Swansea chairman Neil McClure later stated "''£500,000 is significantly more than Southampton ever offered at any stage and that must be regarded as satisfactory''"<ref name="Crowell compensation">{{Cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/wales/942160.stm |title=Swans get Crowell compensation |publisher=BBC Sport |date=26 September 2000 |access-date=2010-09-26}}</ref> However, Crowell never made a first team appearance at Southampton and was released in 2003.
===Wrexham=== After spending time on trial with Bristol Rovers,<ref name="Altrincham departed players">{{cite web |url=http://www.altrinchamfc.co.uk/depart09.htm |title=Departed players and staff 2009–10 |publisher=Altrincham F.C. |access-date=2010-09-02}}</ref> Crowell later joined Wrexham, having impressed in a trial spell,<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Football:+Four+in+race+to+replace+Ferguson;+Playmaker+poser+for+Smith-a0110553050 |title=Four in race to replace Ferguson |work=Liverpool Daily Post |date=25 November 2003 |access-date=2010-09-02}}</ref> and made his professional debut for the club on 9 August 2003 as a substitute in place of Steve Thomas during a 0–0 draw with Chesterfield. In his third season at the Racecourse Ground he made six appearances in the club's Football League Trophy victory, beating Southend United 2–0 in the final.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/4423417.stm |title=Southend 0-2 Wrexham |publisher=BBC |date=10 April 2005 |access-date=1 August 2019}}</ref> However, he later found himself plagued with injuries in his later years at the Racecourse Ground and, after playing on a six-month contract with the Welsh side in an attempt to show his fitness,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/wrexham/6757977.stm |title=Crowell is ready to seize chance |publisher=BBC Sport |date=16 June 2007 |access-date=2007-11-17}}</ref> he was released in January 2008 having made over 100 appearances for the club.
===Non-league=== In January 2008, Crowell signed for Northwich Victoria on non-contract terms.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/sport/northwichvictoria/news/display.var.1970585.0.updated_three_is_the_magic_number_for_dino.php?TB_iframe=true&height=650&width=850 |title=Three is the magic number for Dino |publisher=Northwich Guardian |date=17 January 2008 |access-date=2008-01-18}}</ref> In July 2009, Crowell left Northwich. He attended a trial with NSW Premier League side Sydney Olympic,<ref name="Altrincham departed players"/> but later returned to Britain to sign for Altrincham on a short-term contract, stating that "''It was hard at Northwich last season with the club's difficulties but I am pleased to join Altrincham''".
===Central Coast Mariners=== In September 2009, Crowell joined A-League team Central Coast Mariners on a one-year deal until the end of the 2009–10 season.<ref>[http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26086659-5000940,00.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091013073610/http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0%2C8659%2C26086659-5000940%2C00.html |date=13 October 2009 }}</ref> He made 13 appearances for the club before returning to England.
===Return to Non-league=== He then rejoined Altrincham before in December 2010 Farnborough announced that he had joined them, apparently on non-contract terms.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.farnboroughfc.co.uk/index.php |title=Farnborough Football Club |website=Farnboroughfc.co.uk |access-date=2016-01-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110822073724/http://www.farnboroughfc.co.uk/index.php |archive-date=22 August 2011 }}</ref> He left the club after only two appearances.
===Port Talbot Town=== In May 2011, Crowell had a two-week trial with China's Chengdu Blades before he joined Welsh Premier League club Port Talbot Town in July 2011 after a trial.<ref>[http://porttalbottown.wordpress.com/2011/07/18/matt-crowell-completes-port-talbot-move/ ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331191903/http://porttalbottown.wordpress.com/2011/07/18/matt-crowell-completes-port-talbot-move/ |date=31 March 2012 }}</ref> He played all of the club's league games prior to his next move.
===CD Ourense=== He signed a full-time contract with Spanish club CD Ourense in September 2011 where he made 20 appearances for the club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.welshpremier.com/news/WelshPrem36291.ink |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318023826/http://www.welshpremier.com/news/WelshPrem36291.ink |url-status=usurped |archive-date=18 March 2012 |title=WelshPrem news from Welsh Premier League – Welsh Premier League |website=Welshpremier.com |access-date=2016-01-05}}</ref>
===Return to Port Talbot Town=== In July 2012 Crowell returned to Wales and his former club Port Talbot Town ahead of the 2012/13 Welsh Premier League season. Crowell's first goal in his second spell at the club came in a 5–0 win away at Aberystwyth FC where he scored a penalty.
===Central Coast Mariners Academy=== In March 2013 Crowell signed for the Central Coast Mariners Academy, feeder seed for Central Coast Mariners FC of the A-League where he had a previous stint in the 2009–10 season.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tucker|first=Steve|date=2016-05-16|title=What became of the young Welsh boys who played with Gareth Bale|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/what-became-young-boys-who-11339665|access-date=2021-12-13|website=WalesOnline|language=en}}</ref>
=== Retirement === Crowell retired from professional football in August 2019<ref>{{Cite web|date=12 August 2019|title=Central Coast United|url=https://www.facebook.com/centralcoastunited/posts/matthew-crowell-has-today-confirmed-his-retirement-from-senior-mens-footballin-h/524832418260609/|access-date=13 December 2021|via=Facebook}}</ref>
==International career== A former captain of the Wales under-15 side,<ref name="Crowell compensation"/> Crowell later went on to represent Wales at under-17 and under-19 levels. He has also played numerous times for the Wales U21 side and has also scored a screamer with his left foot for the side, against Azerbaijan U21 in 2004.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/wales/3622048.stm |title=Azerbaijan U21 0–1 Wales U21 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=3 September 2004 |access-date=2007-11-17}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|2 September 2010.}}
{| class="wikitable" |+ Club statistics |- ! rowspan=2 | Club ! rowspan=2 | Season ! colspan=2 | League ! colspan=2 | National Cup ! colspan=2 | League Cup ! colspan=2 | Other ! colspan=2 | Total |- ! App ! Goals ! App ! Goals ! App ! Goals ! App ! Goals ! App ! Goals |- align=center | rowspan=6 | Wrexham |2003–04 |15||1||0||0||1||0||2||0||18||1 |- align=center |2004–05 |28||0||1||0||0||0||6||0||35||0 |- align=center |2005–06 |29||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||29||3 |- align=center |2006–07 |15||0||1||0||2||0||1||1||19||1 |- align=center |2007–08 |6||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||6||0 |- !Subtotal ! 93 !! 4 !! 2 !! 0 !! 3 !! 0 !! 9 !! 1 !! 107 !! 5 |- align=center | rowspan=3 | Northwich Victoria |2007–08 |15||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||15||1 |- align=center |2008–09 |41||4||0||0||0||0||0||0||41||4 |- !Subtotal ! 56 !! 5 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 56 !! 5 |- align=center || Altrincham |2009–10 |5||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||5||1 |- align=center || Central Coast Mariners |2009–10 |13||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||13||0 |- align=center || Altrincham |2010–11 |2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0 |- ! colspan=2 | Total ! 169 ! 10 ! 2 ! 0 ! 3 ! 0 ! 9 ! 1 ! 183 ! 11 |}
==Honours== '''Wrexham''' *Football League Trophy: 2004–05<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/4423417.stm |title=Southend 0–2 Wrexham |website=BBC Sport |date=10 April 2005 |access-date=17 March 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerbase}} *[http://www.ccmariners.com.au/default.aspx?s=aleague_profile&pid=2172&tid=2 Central Coast Mariners profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crowell, Matt}} Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Bridgend Category:Welsh men's footballers Category:Wales men's youth international footballers Category:Wales men's under-21 international footballers Category:Southampton F.C. players Category:Wrexham A.F.C. players Category:Northwich Victoria F.C. players Category:Altrincham F.C. players Category:Central Coast Mariners Academy players Category:English Football League players Category:National League (English football) players Category:A-League Men players Category:Central Coast Mariners FC players Category:Central Coast United FC players Category:National Premier Leagues players Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:21st-century Welsh sportsmen