| Matt Crowell | |
| Fullname: | Matthew Thomas Crowell |
| Birth Date: | 3 July 1984 |
| Birth Place: | Bridgend, Wales |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Youthyears1: | –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 |
| Caps3: | 56 |
| Goals3: | 5 |
| Years4: | 2009 |
| Clubs4: | Altrincham |
| Caps4: | 5 |
| Goals4: | 1 |
| Years5: | 2009–2010 |
| 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 |
| Caps11: | 44 |
| Goals11: | 2 |
| Years12: | 2016 |
| Clubs12: | Maitland FC |
| Caps12: | 4 |
| Goals12: | 1 |
| Years13: | 2018–2019 |
| 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.
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.[1] 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"[2] However, Crowell never made a first team appearance at Southampton and was released in 2003.
After spending time on trial with Bristol Rovers,[3] Crowell later joined Wrexham, having impressed in a trial spell,[4] 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.[5] 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,[6] he was released in January 2008 having made over 100 appearances for the club.
In January 2008, Crowell signed for Northwich Victoria on non-contract terms.[7] In July 2009, Crowell left Northwich. He attended a trial with NSW Premier League side Sydney Olympic,[3] 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".
In September 2009, Crowell joined A-League team Central Coast Mariners on a one-year deal until the end of the 2009–10 season.[8] He made 13 appearances for the club before returning to England.
He then rejoined Altrincham before in December 2010 Farnborough announced that he had joined them, apparently on non-contract terms.[9] He left the club after only two appearances.
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.[10] He played all of the club's league games prior to his next move.
He signed a full-time contract with Spanish club CD Ourense in September 2011 where he made 20 appearances for the club.[11]
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.
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.[12]
Crowell retired from professional football in August 2019[13]
A former captain of the Wales under-15 side,[2] 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.[14]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | |||
| Wrexham | 2003–04 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 1 | |
| 2004–05 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 35 | 0 | ||
| 2005–06 | 29 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 3 | ||
| 2006–07 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 1 | ||
| 2007–08 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Subtotal | 93 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 107 | 5 | ||
| Northwich Victoria | 2007–08 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | |
| 2008–09 | 41 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 4 | ||
| Subtotal | 56 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 5 | ||
| Altrincham | 2009–10 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| Central Coast Mariners | 2009–10 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| Altrincham | 2010–11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 169 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 183 | 11 | ||
Wrexham