700-game veteran Tony Craig on ‘underdog’ mentality, academy coaching return to Millwall and how Palace boss Warnock helped seal Den return

“I take great pride in clean sheets. Of course I wish I was more graceful and that I could take players on – be the striker and get all the glory. But I know my strengths and I certainly know my weaknesses, I’ve worked hard on those over the course of my career.”

What you get with Tony Craig is honesty – on and off the pitch. It’s part of the reason the former Millwall captain is still going strong at the age of 37 and recently made his 700th first-team appearance.

“Sometimes you are the player you are,” said Greenwich-born Craig, who won two play-off finals with the Lions. “Would I change it? No, because I’ve loved every minute of it – I’ve loved those tackles, and doing the fist pumps after big ones, and getting the ball in the face or wherever you can.

“I’ve always put my body on the line. As long as people look back and say: ‘He is one of those players who gave absolutely everything’.

“In football you have highs and lows. But, first of all, it’s a pleasure and a privilege to be in the game as long as I have. It is something I love doing and dreamed of doing as a kid. I’d have been happy to get one appearance, so to get 700 is beyond my wildest dreams.

“My family have been behind me all the way. They have been on this journey with me.”

So what would Craig, raised in Thamesmead and a Millwall fan, say are the key things that have given him such longevity?

“Hard work and dedication,” he responds. “I’ve dedicated my life to this game from day one to now. I’ve sacrificed stuff off the field.

“I’ve missed a few nights out with the boys to put myself in the best possible physical condition I can.

“I can look back and have no regrets. Of course I’ve had bad games. But I can look at myself in the mirror with my head held high.

“The bad moments have made me the man I am today. It’s made me stronger and thicker-skinned. When the bad times come it is when you have got to take it on the chin, man up, persevere, work hard and believe in yourself that it can turn around. Thankfully I’ve had great times too and thoroughly enjoyed them.”

When Craig left Millwall for the final time in early 2018, signing for Bristol Rovers, then Den boss Neil Harris backed him to be back in a coaching or managerial capacity.

Craig has completed his UEFA A and B badges and put on some sessions at Crawley Town, who he joined in August 2020.

He will soon start doing coaching at Millwall’s academy.

“It’s my turn to give back to the club,” said Craig. “They gave me a hell of a lot. I was a 15-year-old boy when I first turned up there and I say the word boy – very naive, very young – with stars in my eyes. When I left, I was a man.

“I’ve still got an 18-month contract at Crawley. When the time is right, I’d love to go into any club in any sort of capacity and work in a first-team environment. But you know football, you don’t know what will happen from one day to the next.

“At the moment I want to concentrate on my football and do those sessions a couple of nights a week at Millwall academy. I’m very grateful to Scott Fitzgerald [academy director] for letting me do that.”

Craig has worked under so many managers – especially during the first of his three stints with the Lions. Dennis Wise’s departure saw a lack of continuity with the likes of Steve Claridge, Colin Lee, David Tuttle, Alan McLeary and Nigel Spackman all moving on.

“I’ve always been the underdog,” said Craig. “I know I’ve not been the most pleasing on the eye but I will outwork anyone.

“Sometimes the club suits you, I was lucky with where I started.

“Kenny Jackett was superb with me. He always kept me on my toes – he’d never really praise me. He isn’t a man of many words. But when he did give praise, I knew he meant it.

“Neil Harris gave me the captain’s armband and that is something that I’ll cherish forever.

“I’ve walked up the steps at Wembley to lift a trophy. It’s a moment that, even now, talking about it again has given me goosebumps.

“I won’t lie, sometimes I sit down with my boy now and put it [the matches] on. He’s five and loves his football.”

Craig was released by Wimbledon at the age of 15 and had unsuccessful trials at Charlton and Gillingham.

He went to an exit trial at Watford’s training ground and had an offer to go to America or a chance to try out at Mansfield Town.

Craig’s father had a friend who knew Dave Mehmet, who was at Millwall’s academy.

“Sometimes it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” said Craig. “I’m forever grateful to Dave for giving me that trial.

“Sometimes you turn up at a place and your face fits – it’s meant to be. They were looking for a left-back, which was perfect.

“I had Kevin O’Callaghan and Alan McLeary, who turned me from a mute to someone who is very vocal and puts his opinions across. Andy Massey helped me out tremendously as well.”

Craig made his debut in a 3-3 draw at Forest in April 2003. He played 67 minutes and was booked. Then he scored at The Den, a 2-0 victory over Coventry.

“It was a full house at the City Ground,” said Craig. “Some players took me under their wing – Darren Ward, Stuart Nethercott and Neil Harris. They told me to enjoy myself, go and express myself – that there was no pressure on me.

“I scored on my home debut at the Cold Blow Lane End. I used to sit that end as a kid. I keep using the word dream, but I’ve lived the dream and I’m living it still.

“Mark McGhee and Steve Gritt were great with me. They guided me as a full-back – to defend first and do overlaps, teaching me about the timings of the runs.

“There was a lot of turmoil after the Dennis Wise era. Theo Paphitis sold the club and there was a lot of managers in a short period of time.

“It was a tricky time for the club as a whole. I don’t think they knew what direction they were going in. We had a good number of owners in that time as well.

“I just knew I had to apply myself, make sure I was in the eyeline of any new manager coming in. And when I played I had to take the chance – you never know when the next one is going to come.”

Craig signed for Crystal Palace in June 2007 for an undisclosed fee. But by the following April he was back with the Lions, initially on loan and then permanently that summer.

“Willie Donachie was our manager at the time and the season had finished at Millwall – I’d played about 35-40 games and done particularly well in a struggling side,” said Craig.

“Willie gave me a phone call out of the blue – I thought it was to offer me a new contract – and he said: ‘We’ve had a bid from Crystal Palace and we’re going to accept it’.

“I knew the ramifications that could cause me, living in a predominantly Millwall area and being a Millwall boy. I knew all about the rivalry.

“I thought it was too soon for me, if I’m perfectly honest, but when you have got the manager and the club saying they want the money to sign Ryan Smith then sometimes you have got to go. The decision was out of my hands.

“At the start it all went well at Palace. I played 14 games and then we had a change of manager, Neil Warnock came in, and I dislocated my shoulder.

“They signed Clint Hill, who was a very, very good player and, more importantly, a top man. He cemented his place in the team. By the time I got back we were in contention for the play-offs.

“I knew I wasn’t going to get a look-in. Neil Warnock was brilliant with me, he sorted out the loan move back to Millwall.

“I had Millwall, Brighton and Swansea. Before I even opened my mouth, he said: ‘I know what club you want to go to and I’ve already sorted it – they are expecting to see you tomorrow morning’.”

Craig made 52 appearances as the Lions reached the 2009 League One final, losing 3-2 to Scunthorpe.

The South Londoners went one better the following campaign, ending three years outside of the Championship with a 1-0 win over Swindon.

Craig was forced off just before half-time with a broken metatarsal.

“There’s a pattern – if I lose in the play-off final then I’m guaranteed to go up the next year,” said Craig.

“I never thought I’d play ay Wembley, I went there supporting England and I’ve been there watching finals, but I’ve played there five times in my career.

“Maybe it would have been a season too early for us [in 2009] because we adapted very well to the Championship when we did get there.”

Harris talked about Craig unfairly shouldering blame from some of the club’s fanbase after the 2016 play-off final loss to Barnsley.

Again, 12 months later and the Lions prevailed at the national stadium, Steve Morison the man of the moment as they edged past Bradford City with Craig skippering the side.

“The Barnsley game was my first start in six months,” said Craig. “I was out for a long time with a knee injury before that.

“I was still finding my feet in games, I ideally needed two or three under my belt. Byron Webster unfortunately got an injury in the warm-up, so I was thrust into the spotlight straight away.

“But I’ll chuck myself into anything. It was a game that didn’t go well – everything that possibly could go wrong most certainly did.

“That’s the beauty of football. People are entitled to their opinions – some people will think you have had a good game and some people won’t. Those criticisms, I took them on the chin. In this game, nothing is going to be smooth.

“Some things are fate. Next year I felt the script was already written. There were too many things over the season that went for us when they could easily have gone the opposite way – when we lost the other teams around us lost.

“Southend pushed us the whole way and the game at Bristol Rovers was a mental one to be involved in – [Shaun] Hutchinson scoring in the last five minutes [Millwall needing to win to take sixth place on the final day].

“I remember speaking to my wife afterwards and saying we’d gone through every possible emotion.

“I told her that I thought the script was written. It’s easy to say that now, but I honestly did.”

Craig moved to Bristol Rovers on a free transfer in February 2018. In total he played 324 times for the Lions.

He had made eight appearances in that Championship season with James Meredith first choice. Harris wanted Craig to stay at least until the summer.

“That’s why I’ve got the numbers I’ve got,” said Craig. “I’ve never been happy sitting or the bench or not travelling. I’m from a working-class background and my dad says: ‘Go and earn your money, son’. I’ve had that instilled in me.

“I get frustrated if I work all week in training and then there is nothing at the end of it.

“I could easily have stayed and had a smooth transition into coaching with the youth team at Millwall. But I want to play.

“It was a tricky decision, I won’t lie. One, I am at the club I’ve supported. But, two, I’m leaving my wife and two kids in London while I’m in Bristol, my lad was a newborn at the time. It wasn’t an easy discussion. That was hard work for my wife, on her own.

“My wife was fantastic. She said: ‘Go and follow your dream’. It was a great two-and-a-half-years at Bristol which I look back on with great fondness.

“I’ve leaned on my family. They have kept me grounded. The advice they have given me has been invaluable.

“I can’t thank them enough. I never will be able to repay that faith they have put in me and the sacrifices they have made.”