Craig Dargo

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Craig Dargo

| image = Craig Dargo.jpg

| image_size = 250

| alt =

| caption = Dargo (left) playing for St Mirren

| fullname = Craig Peter Dargo

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|1|3|df=y}}

| birth_place = Edinburgh, Scotland

| height =

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Raith Rovers

| years1 = 1995–2000

| years2 = 2000–2005

| years3 = 2005–2007

| years4 = 2007–2011

| years5 = 2011–2012

| years6 = 2012

| years7 = 2012–2014

| years8 = 2014–2015

| clubs1 = Raith Rovers

| clubs2 = Kilmarnock

| clubs3 = Inverness Caledonian Thistle

| clubs4 = St Mirren

| clubs5 = Partick Thistle

| clubs6 = Dumbarton

| clubs7 = Dunfermline Athletic

| clubs8 = Berwick Rangers

| caps1 = 82

| goals1 = 36

| caps2 = 101

| goals2 = 29

| caps3 = 59

| goals3 = 26

| caps4 = 94

| goals4 = 12

| caps5 = 4

| goals5 = 0

| caps6 = 9

| goals6 = 5

| caps7 = 33

| goals7 = 2

| caps8 = 19

| goals8 = 4

| totalcaps = 401

| totalgoals = 162

| nationalyears1 = 2006

| nationalteam1 = Scotland B

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2012–2014

| managerclubs1 = Dunfermline Athletic (U20)

}}

Craig Peter Dargo (born 3 January 1978) is a Scottish former professional football player and coach. Dargo played for Raith Rovers, Kilmarnock, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, St Mirren, Partick Thistle, Dumbarton, Dunfermline Athletic and Berwick Rangers.

Career

=Early career=

Dargo began his career with Kirkcaldy side Raith Rovers. He scored 29 goals in 82 league games before moving to Kilmarnock on a free transfer in June 2000.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/876185.stm|title=SUMMER SIGNINGS|date=12 August 2000|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=5 May 2009}} He remained at Rugby Park for the next five years. During this time he made his first appearance in European competition, scoring as Kilmarnock were eliminated by Norwegian side Viking in the UEFA Cup.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/uefa_cup/1553197.stm|title=Killie held by Viking|date=20 September 2001|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=5 May 2009}} His time at Kilmarnock was dogged by injuries, and he was released in May 2005{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/k/kilmarnock/4520871.stm|title=Kilmarnock set striker Dargo free |date=6 May 2005|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=5 May 2009}} after over 100 games for Killie.

=Inverness=

In June 2005, Dargo joined Inverness Caledonian Thistle on a two-year deal,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/inverness_ct/4567285.stm|title=Striker Dargo moves to Inverness |date=13 June 2005|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=5 May 2009}} scoring his first goal during a draw against Rangers at Ibrox Stadium. In February 2006, Dargo began negotiations on a new contract,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/inverness_ct/4739572.stm|title=Inverness offer Dargo new terms |date=22 February 2006|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=5 May 2009}} with former Inverness manager Craig Brewster, now managing Ross County, subsequently linked with signing the player.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/inverness_ct/4785870.stm|title=Inverness angry with speculation |date=8 March 2006|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=5 May 2009}} The speculation passed and Dargo made an appearance for the Scotland Future side in March 2006, going on to score 19 goals in 38 games that season.

In April 2007, weeks before the end of his contract, Inverness confirmed "a few English clubs" had expressed interest in signing Dargo.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/inverness_ct/6524113.stm|title=English clubs chase striker Dargo |date=3 April 2007|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=5 May 2009}} A "last go" in mid May{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/inverness_ct/6655205.stm|title=Inverness aim for Dargo decision |date=14 May 2007|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=5 May 2009}} – a record deal for the club{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/inverness_ct/6672857.stm|title=Christie offers Dargo record deal|date=19 May 2007|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=5 May 2009}} – failed to keep him at the club, with Dargo announcing in June that he would leave Inverness.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/inverness_ct/6713135.stm|title=Dargo turns down Inverness offer |date=13 June 2007|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=5 May 2009}}

=St Mirren=

On 28 June 2007, Dargo signed for St Mirren.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/st_mirren/6251146.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=St Mirren sign up striker Dargo|date=28 June 2007}} Dargo aggravated his recurring knee injury which kept him out for several weeks, making debut against former club Kilmarnock on 22 December 2007. Dargo scored his first goal for the club against Gretna to officially relegate them on 29 March 2008.

=Later playing career=

On 17 November 2011, Dargo signed a short-term contract with Partick Thistle ending in January 2012. On 8 March 2012, Dargo signed a short-term contract with Dumbarton until the end of the season{{cite news|url=http://www.dumbartonfootballclub.com/squad/?mode=squad&SquadID=1&id=335|publisher=Dumbarton F.C. |title=Squad Addition |date=2 November 2022 }}{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} scoring seven goals in 12 games, including a hat-trick against Brechin City and a brace as the Sons won promotion of the Scottish First Division.{{Cite web |title=Dargo contemplates future {{!}} SPFL |url=https://spfl.co.uk/news/dargo-contemplates-future |access-date=2023-12-08 |website=spfl.co.uk}} He became a player/coach at Dunfermline Athletic in 2012, working alongside John Potter.{{cite web|title=Dargo delighted with double Dunfermline role|url=http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/dargo-delighted-with-double-dunfermline-role/|publisher=Scottish Professional Football League|date=9 November 2012|accessdate=19 August 2014}} Dargo signed for Berwick Rangers on 19 August 2014.{{cite web|title=Dargo makes Berwick move|url=http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/dargo-makes-berwick-move/|publisher=Scottish Professional Football League|date=19 August 2014|accessdate=19 August 2014}} He scored his first and only goals for Berwick when he scored twice in a 3-2 Scottish Cup win against East Fife.{{cite web

|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/east-fife-vs-berwick/327520

|title=East Fife 2-3 Berwick

|publisher=Sky Sports

|date=1 November 2014 |accessdate=5 June 2019}}

Statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club	rowspan="2"\|Season	colspan="2"\|League	colspan="2"\|Cup	colspan="2"\|Lg Cup	colspan="2"\|Other	colspan="2"\|Other
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="6"\|Raith Rovers	1995–96	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1
1996–97	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
1997–98	27	8	2	0	0	0	0	0	29	8
1998–99	22	8	1	0	0	0	0	0	23	8
1999–2000	25	12	1	1	1	1	2	1	29	15
Total	82	29	4	1	1	1	2	1	89	32
rowspan="6"\|Kilmarnock	2000–01	25	7	2	0	3	2	0	0	30	9
2001–02	29	6	1	0	1	0	2	1	33	7
2002–03	15	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	16	1
2003–04	12	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	3
2004–05	20	2	0	0	2	0	0	0	22	2
Total	101	19	4	0	6	2	2	1	113	22
rowspan="3"\|Inverness Caledonian Thistle	2005–06	32	16	4	2	2	1	0	0	38	19
2006–07	27	10	1	2	1	0	0	0	29	12
Total	59	26	5	4	3	1	0	0	67	31
rowspan="5"\|St Mirren	2007–08	16	1	5	0	0	0	0	0	21	1
2008–09	27	3	2	0	1	1	0	0	30	4
2009–10	29	2	3	0	4	0	0	0	29	2
2010–11	32	3	5	2	1	0	0	0	38	5
Total	104	9	15	2	6	1	0	0	125	12
Partick Thistle	rowspan="2"\|2011–12	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
\|Dumbarton	9	5	0	0	0	0	3	2	12	7
Dunfermline	2012–13	26	1	2	0	1	0	4	0	33	1
Berwick	2014–15	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	0
colspan="2"\| Career total	386	89	31	7	17	5	9	2	446	105