James Crole
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 22 February 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Bridgend, Wales | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Newport County | ||
| Number | 16 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Newport County | |||
| Cardiff City | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2024 | Cardiff City | 0 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Torquay United (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Queen's Park (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2024–2026 | Penybont | 48 | (27) |
| 2026– | Newport County | 20 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022 | Wales U18 | 2 | (1) |
| 2022 | Wales U19 | 3 | (2) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:44, 2 May 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 19:04, 25 February 2024 (UTC) | |||
James Crole (born 22 February 2004) is a Welsh footballer who plays as a striker for EFL League Two club Newport County. He is a Wales youth international.
Club career
[edit]Cardiff City
[edit]Crole joined the Cardiff City academy from the Newport County academy at under-14 level.[1] He signed his first professional contract with Cardiiff City for two years in June 2022.[2]
In January 2023 Crole joined National League club Torquay United on loan for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.[3]
On 27 February 2023, Crole made his senior debut for Cardiff City in the EFL Cup third round 5–2 defeat to Blackburn Rovers.[4]
On 1 January 2024 Crole joined Scottish Championship club Queen's Park on loan for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.[5] He made his debut for Queen's Park on 3 February 2024 in the 1-0 win against Inverness.[6]
Crole departed Cardiff upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the 2023–24 season.[7]
Penybont
[edit]In July 2024, Crole joined Cymru Premier club Penybont.[8] Crole was joint winner of the Cymru Premier Golden Boot award for the 2024–25 season, scoring 16 alongside Caernarfon Town's Louis Lloyd.[9]
Newport County
[edit]In January 2026, Crole joined EFL League Two club Newport County on a two-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee.[10][11] He made his debut for the side on 17 January 2026 in a 3-2 league defeat to Gillingham.[12] Crole scored his first Newport goal in the EFL League Two 2-1 win against Barnet on 14 March 2026.[13]
International
[edit]Crole was called up to the Wales under-19 squad in September 2022 for the 2023 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification matches against Hungary, Republic of Ireland and Gibraltar.[14] He featured in all three matches, scoring two goals against Gibraltar.[15]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played 2 May 2026[16]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Cardiff City | 2022–23 | EFL Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023–24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 1[a] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Torquay United (loan) | 2022–23 | National League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Queen's Park (loan) | 2023–24 | Scottish Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Penybont | 2024–25 | Cymru Premier | 31 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – | 0 | 0 | 32 | 17 | |
| 2025–26 | 17 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 18 | ||
| Total | 48 | 27 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 35 | ||
| Newport County | 2025–26 | EFL League Two | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | |
| Career total | 71 | 28 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 80 | 36 | ||
- ↑ Appearance for Cardiff City U21s in Welsh League Cup
- ↑ Appearances in UEFA Conference League
Honours
[edit]Individual
References
[edit]- ↑ "U18 | Our new apprentices for 2020/21 | Cardiff". www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk.
- ↑ "Promising young players sign new contracts at CCS | Cardiff". www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk.
- ↑ Crole To Become A Gull, Torquay United F.C., 6 January 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ↑ "Blackburn Rovers 5-2 Cardiff City: Andrew Moran stars as hosts reach Carabao Cup fourth round". BBC Sport. 27 September 2023.
- ↑ "Loan | James Crole joins Queen's Park | Cardiff". www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk.
- ↑ "Inverness CT 0-1 Queen's Park: Dom Thomas winner earns visitors crucial win". BBC Sport. 3 February 2024.
- ↑ Williams, Glen (7 June 2024). "Cardiff City confirm 12 players will leave as five offered new deals". Wales Online. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ↑ Drinkwater-James, Max (13 July 2024). "Cardiff City star lands at Penybont as Newport County snap up Haverfordwest talisman". Clwb Pel-Droed. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- 1 2 Jones, Dave (20 April 2025). "Just 16 goals won this season's Cymru Premier golden boot - why the drastic drop?". NW Sport. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
- ↑ "Newport County news: James Crole and Tanatswa Nyakuhwa join Exiles". BBC Sport. 14 January 2026.
- ↑ "CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT: JAMES CROLE". www.newport-county.co.uk. 14 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ↑ "Gillingham 3-2 Newport County: Spirited County beaten by late goals". BBC Sport. 19 January 2026.
- ↑ "Barnet 1-2 Newport County: Visitors climb out of relegation zone". BBC Sport. 14 March 2026.
- ↑ "Young Bluebirds called up to represent Wales' U19 side! | Cardiff". www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk.
- ↑ Cairns, Ian (31 January 2024). "Cardiff City's James Crole on loan to Queen's Park".
- ↑ James Crole at Soccerway. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
External links
[edit]- James Crole at Soccerbase
- James Crole at Soccerway
- 2004 births
- Living people
- Footballers from Bridgend
- Welsh men's footballers
- Men's association football forwards
- Cardiff City F.C. players
- Queen's Park F.C. players
- Penybont F.C. players
- Newport County A.F.C. players
- Cymru Premier players
- English Football League players
- Scottish Professional Football League players
- 21st-century Welsh sportsmen
- Wales men's youth international footballers
- National League (English football) players