Craig McAllister (born 28 June 1980) is a Scottish former professional footballer.
McAllister started his career with Eastleigh as a youth player. He moved to Basingstoke Town towards the end of 2001–02, making his debut in March 2002. McAllister spent three seasons there, making 113 appearances, scoring 66 goals before moving up the national league system to Conference National club Stevenage Borough where he made 10 appearances, having loan spells at Gravesend & Northfleet and Eastleigh in 2004–05. He joined Woking in 2005, spending two full seasons there, and making over 100 appearances. He had a short spell with Grays Athletic, being sent out on loan to Rushden & Diamonds and then another short spell at Oxford United, all during 2007–08. After leaving Oxford in 2008, he took a step up to the Football League for the first time in his career, signing for Exeter City. He went on to score seven goals in his first season, but was loaned out to Barnet and Rotherham United in his second and was eventually released by the club in May 2010. McAllister then dropped back down to non-League football, joining Crawley Town where he played at Old Trafford; his team was defeated 1–0 by Manchester United in their FA Cup fifth round tie. He rejected a new contract from Crawley at the end of the 2010–11, subsequently joining Newport County.
McAllister won his first major honour in 2011, helping Crawley Town win the Conference Premier for the first time in their history. He has also won the Conference South title with Eastleigh in 2014 and the National League South title with Sutton United in 2016.
Career
Non-League
Born in Glasgow, McAllister began his career in non-League football with Eastleigh in 2001. He signed for Isthmian League Premier Division club Basingstoke Town in March 2002 following a successful trial and scored on his debut in a 1–1 draw at home to Hampton & Richmond Borough. McAllister finished 2001–02 with three goals from 10 appearances. He scored on his first appearance of 2002–03 against Aylesbury United on the opening day of the season, which finished as a 2–2 draw. McAllister scored a hat-trick in a 3–1 win at home to Bishop's Stortford on 9 November 2002, and this was followed up with a hat-trick in the following match, a 3–0 win away to Braintree Town. He finished 2002–03 with 35 goals from 48 appearances. McAllister's success continued into 2003–04, during which he scored another 28 goals in 55 appearances. This success earned him a trial with Queens Park Rangers in the First Division, just one level below the Premier League, and later went on trial with Second Division club Luton Town.
After scoring 66 times in 113 appearances for Basingstoke Town, McAllister moved to the Conference National outfit Stevenage Borough on a bosman transfer in May 2004. He debuted after being introduced as a 33rd-minute substitute in a 1–0 victory at home to Crawley Town on 16 October 2004. McAllister struggled to force his way into the first-team, and was loaned to fellow Conference National club Gravesend & Northfleet on 14 December, debuting four days later in a 1–0 defeat away to Hereford United. He went on to score his first goal for Gravesend & Northfleet after just two minutes in a 1–1 draw away to Crawley Town on 26 December, and this was followed up with a goal in the following match, a 2–2 draw at home to Accrington Stanley. McAllister completed the loan spell with two goals from five appearances, before rejoining his former club Eastleigh on loan until the end of 2004–05.