Craig Hinchcliffe

Who is Craig Hinchcliffe?

Craig Hinchcliffe is a former professional Scottish footballer who is currently with Dundee United as the goalkeeping coach.

Having commenced his senior career at Egin City F.C, then a Highland Football League club, Hinchcliffe spent a number of seasons at Elgin City prior to transferring in 1995 into the Scottish Football League with Arbroath F.C., 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 after a loan spell at the Dumfries club. At the end of that season he signed for Partick Thistle as goalkeeper and goalkeeper coach. Thistle's manager, Ian McCall, had also signed Hinchcliffe 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 next season. In April 2011 Hinchcliffe 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.

Hinchcliffe 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 his former management team of Jackie McNamara and Simon Donnelly at Dundee United, signing a three year deal in time for season 2013-2014