Craig Pead

Brentford On the recommendation of his former Walsall captain Michael Dobson, Pead joined newly relegated League Two club Brentford on a two-year contract on 2 July 2007. Less than three weeks later, he suffered an ankle ligament injury during a pre-season friendly and had to wait until 1 September to make his competitive debut for the Bees, which came in a 2–1 victory over Bury. Pead was moved to right back, which had come to be his preferred position. Despite making 35 appearances during the 2007–08 season and being voted into the League Two PFA Team of the Year for the second year in succession, He failed a medical at Port Vale in May and trialled with Cheltenham Town in July 2008 and remained with Brentford for the 2008–09 season. He began the season as a regular starter, but dropped to the bench in September 2008 and underwent exploratory surgery on his long-standing knee problem late in the year. Pead was released in May 2009 and elected to retire, due to his long-standing knee problem. During his two seasons with Brentford, he made 44 appearances.

Coventry Sphinx Pead came out of retirement to join Midland Alliance club Coventry Sphinx in August 2010. He made just one appearance for the club, in a 4–3 defeat to Friar Lane & Epworth on 10 August.

Redditch United Pead joined Conference North club Redditch United in August 2010 and made 12 appearances during the 2010–11 season.

International career Pead was capped by England at U18 and U20 level.

Coaching career On 14 August 2021, Pead joined Southern League Premier Division Central club Banbury United as first team coach under manager Andy Whing. He later followed Whing, as his assistant, to National League club Solihull Moors and then to League Two club Barrow.

Personal life Pead's father worked as a kit man at Coventry City. After his retirement from football in 2009, Pead returned to the West Midlands and opened Soccer Rockz, a youth football coaching school. He later worked as Business Development Manager for BPMpro,

Career statistics

Honours

Walsall Football League Two: 2006–07