Wikipedia

Craig Mahon

Craig Derek Mahon (born 21 June 1989) is an Irish former footballer who played as a winger. He currently manages National League North club AFC Fylde. He has played in the Football League for Accrington Stanley.

Craig Mahon
Mahon in 2023
Personal information
Full name Craig Derek Mahon
Date of birth (1989-06-21) 21 June 1989 (age 36)
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position Winger[2]
Team information
Current team
 AFC Fylde (manager)
Youth career
2006–2008 Wigan Athletic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Wigan Athletic 0 (0)
2008 → Accrington Stanley (loan) 2 (0)
2009–2010 Salford City 15 (5)
2010 Burscough 19 (9)
2010–2013 Vauxhall Motors 117 (7)
2013–2020 Chester 215 (16)
2013 → AFC Fylde (loan) 6 (0)
2019–2020 → Ashton United (loan) 4 (0)
2020 Altrincham 8 (0)
2020–2025 Curzon Ashton 170 (13)
Total 556 (50)
International career
2007 Republic of Ireland U18 2 (0)
2007–2008 Republic of Ireland U19 3 (0)
Managerial career
2021 Curzon Ashton (interim)
2023–2025 Curzon Ashton
2025– AFC Fylde
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 13:06, 25 May 2025 (UTC)

Early life

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Craig Derek Mahon was born on 21 June 1989 in Dublin.[2]

Club career

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Early career

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Mahon's footballing education took place at the Dublin-based club Lourdes Celtic, from there he signed as trainee in the 2006–07 season at Wigan Athletic he then progressed through the ranks. He signed a one-year professional contract with Wigan in June 2008.[3]

Mahon signed for Accrington Stanley on loan in the 2008–09 season. He made his debut on 29 November 2008 in a League Two match against Bury, which ended in a 2–1 home defeat for Accrington.[4]

In the summer of 2009, he was released by Wigan[3] and went on to have a short spells with Salford City and Burscough.

After trials at Football League clubs Bury and Rochdale, Mahon signed for Conference North club Vauxhall Motors on 4 September 2010.[5] He signed a further one-year contract on 26 July 2011.[6] The club secured the services of Mahon on a further one-year contract on 27 July 2012.[7] He was voted the Vauxhall Motors Player of the Season for the 2012–13 season.[8]

Chester

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Mahon signed for Conference Premier club Chester on 23 May 2013.[9] First season at Chester included time on loan at the Northern Premier League side AFC Fylde.[10] At the end of the season he agreed new deal.[11]

On 7 November 2014, Mahon became the father of twins. The following day Mahon was back on the pitch playing for Chester against Football League team Southend United in the FA Cup first round. Mahon had further cause for celebration by scoring the winning goal in the 51st minute, the match ending 2–1 to Chester as they pulled off a surprise victory against higher-ranked opponents.[12] He signed a new two-year contract in April 2015 though his displays in the FA Cup drew attention from Football League scouts.[13]

Mahon signed further two-year deal in May 2017[14] and stayed with Chester despite financial troubles hit the club and relegation to the National League North in April 2018.

At the end of May 2019 Mahon extended his stay at Chester to seventh year.[15] He was loaned out to Northern Premier League side Ashton United in December,[16] before signing for Altrincham in January 2020.[17]

On 12 September 2017, Mahon broke the all-time appearance record for Chester and went on to make 215 league appearances during his seven year stay with the club.[1]

Later career

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He was part of the Altrincham team that beat Chester in the play-off quarterfinals[8] and eventually were promoted to the National League on 1 August 2020 after beating Boston United 1–0 in the final.[18]

Mahon signed for National League North club Curzon Ashton in September 2020.[19] He signed a further one-year contract as a player-coach in August 2021. In October, he took the role of interim manager for three games, whilst the club recruited a new manager.[20] In September 2023, he was appointed interim manager for a second time following the departure of Adam Lakeland.[21] On the 8th February 2024, Craig was offered the Management role on permanent deal until June 2025.

International career

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Mahon represented the Republic of Ireland at youth level, making his debut for the under-18 team on 7 February 2007 in a 0–0 draw against the Netherlands.[22] He appeared for the under-19 team later in the year, playing in a 2–1 defeat against Chile.[23]

Management career

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On 13 June 2025, Mahon departed Curzon Ashton, joining recently relegated National League North club AFC Fylde as head coach.[24] He led the team to an immediate return to the National League in his first season in charge, a 4–2 win over Merthyr Town on the final day of the 2025–26 season seeing the Coasters crowned Champions.[25]

Personal life

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Craig Mahon is a nephew of a former Tranmere Rovers midfielder Alan Mahon.[13] During the time with Chester he combined his playing career with work at Wigan Athletic Community Trust.[26]

Career statistics

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As of match played 26 April 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Wigan Athletic 2008–09[27] Premier League 0000000000
Accrington Stanley (loan) 2008–09[27] League Two 2000000020
Salford City 2009–10[28] NPL Division One North 15531—6[a]2248
Burscough 2009–10[29][30] NPL Premier Division 93——0093
2010–11[29] NPL Premier Division 106——00106
Total 199——00199
Vauxhall Motors 2010–11[31] Conference North 35360—1[b]0423
2011–12[32] Conference North 41421—3[b]0465
2012–13[1][33] Conference North 41010—1[b]0430
Total 117791—501318
Chester 2013–14[1] Conference Premier 27300—2[c] 0293
2014–15[1] Conference Premier 44641—2[b]0507
2015–16[1] National League 39110—4[d]0441
2016–17[1] National League 25110—1[b]0271
2017–18[1] National League 32100—1[b]0331
2018–19[1][34] National League North 40420—4[e]1465
2019–20[1][35] National League North 8010—1[f]0100
Total 2151691—15123918
AFC Fylde (loan) 2013–14[36] NPL Premier Division 60——0060
Ashton United (loan) 2019–20[37] NPL Premier Division 40——0040
Altrincham 2019–20[1] National League North 80——3[g]0110
Curzon Ashton 2020–21[1][38] National League North 17110—1[b]0191
2021–22[1][39] National League North 41230—2[b]0462
2022–23[1][40][41] National League North 46360—2[b]0543
2023–24[1][42][43][44] National League North 39740—6[h]0497
2024–25[1] National League North 27040—4[i]0350
Total 17013180—15020313
Career total 556463930044359556
  1. ↑ Four appearances and two goals in FA Trophy, one appearance in President's Cup, one appearance in Manchester Premier Cup
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
  3. ↑ One appearance in FA Trophy, one appearance in Cheshire Senior Cup
  4. ↑ Three appearances in FA Trophy, one appearance in Cheshire Senior Cup
  5. ↑ Two appearances in FA Trophy, Two appearances and one goal in Cheshire Senior Cup
  6. ↑ Appearance(s) in Cheshire Senior Cup
  7. ↑ Appearance(s) in National League North play-offs
  8. ↑ Two appearances in FA Trophy, three appearances in Manchester Premier Cup, one appearance in National League North play-offs
  9. ↑ One appearance in FA Trophy, three appearances in Manchester Premier Cup

Managerial statistics

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As of match played 28 February 2026
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref
PWDLWin %
Curzon Ashton (interim) 19 October 2021 28 October 2021 1010000.0 [45][46][47]
Curzon Ashton (interim) 28 September 2023 8 February 2024 291559051.7 [48]
Curzon Ashton 8 February 2024 13 June 2025 72341820047.2 [49][50]
AFC Fylde 13 June 2025 Present 412669063.4 [51]
Total 143753038052.4

Honours

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As a player

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Altrincham

As a manager

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AFC Fylde

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "C. Mahon: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Craig Mahon". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  3. 1 2 "'I cried almost every night for the first six months and worried about what I was missing back in Dublin'". The 42. 28 April 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  4. ↑ "Accrington 1–2 Bury". BBC Sport. 29 November 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  5. ↑ "Craig Mahon signs ahead of Alfreton game". Vauxhall Motors F.C. 4 September 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  6. ↑ "Craig Mahon signs on for the 2011–12 season". Vauxhall Motors F.C. 26 July 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
  7. ↑ "Football: Rutter earns contract after friendly strikes". 1 August 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  8. 1 2 "Altrincham 3 Chester FC 2: Brave Blues lose in play-offs but win right to be respected". Cheshire Live. 19 July 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  9. ↑ "Vauxhall Motors winger Craig Mahon to become Neil Young's fourth signing of week". Cheshire Live. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  10. ↑ "Mahon out on loan". Chester City co.uk. 3 October 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  11. ↑ "Burr continues recruitment drive". Cheshire Live. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  12. ↑ "Southend United 1–2 Chester". BBC Sport. 8 November 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  13. 1 2 "Chester FC winger Craig Mahon relishing Tranmere Rovers clashes". Cheshire Live. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  14. ↑ "Craig Mahon: I was only ever going to sign for Chester FC". Cheshire Live. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  15. ↑ "Craig Mahon will be sticking around at Chester FC despite interest from other clubs". Cheshire Live. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  16. ↑ "Record Chester FC appearance holder Craig Mahon departs for loan move to Ashton United". Cheshire Live. 21 December 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  17. ↑ "Chester Football Club – Official Website " BREAKING | Blues legend Craig Mahon joins on Altrincham". Chester FC. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  18. ↑ "Play-off heartbreak in final game at York Street - Boston United 0-1 Altrincham". Lincolnshire Live. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  19. ↑ "Former Chester FC winger Craig Mahon joins Curzon Ashton after Altrincham departure". Cheshire Live. 24 August 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  20. ↑ "Statement regarding the club parting company with Steve Cunningham". Curzon Ashton. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  21. ↑ "The club and Adam Lakeland have parted ways". www.curzon-ashton.co.uk. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  22. ↑ "Experimental Ireland happy with performance at U18 level". Football Association of Ireland. 7 February 2007. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  23. ↑ "Republic of Ireland U19's undone by second half comeback from Chile". Football Association of Ireland. 9 August 2007. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  24. ↑ "Craig Mahon Appointed AFC Fylde Head Coach". www.afcfylde.co.uk. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  25. 1 2 "AFC Fylde Crowned National League North Champions". www.afcfylde.co.uk. 25 April 2026. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  26. ↑ "Manager's approval all that counts for Craig Mahon". Cheshire Live. 11 December 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  27. 1 2 "Games played by Craig Mahon in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  28. ↑ "The Official UniBond League Website - October Results". Archived from the original on 2 April 2010.
  29. 1 2 "The Official UniBond League Website - February Results". Archived from the original on 2 April 2010.
  30. ↑ "Burscough Football Club -". Archived from the original on 11 July 2010.
  31. ↑ Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2011). Non-League Club Directory 2012. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 244–245. ISBN 978-1-869833-70-1.
  32. ↑ Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2012). Non-League Club Directory 2013. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 242–243. ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0.
  33. ↑ For FA Cup second qualifying round: "Football: Stalybridge Celtic 1 Vauxhall Motors 0". Cheshire Live. Reach. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
    For FA Trophy third qualifying round: "Vauxhall Motors 1–3 Harrogate Town". Harrogate Informer. 11 November 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  34. ↑ For FA Cup second qualifying round: "Match Report: Chester 4–0 City of Liverpool". Chester F.C. 22 September 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
    For FA Cup third qualifying round: Powell, Dave (6 October 2018). "Dunston UTS 4 Chester FC 3: Ten men Blues out of FA Cup after shock result". Cheshire Live. Reach. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
    For FA Trophy third qualifying round: Jones, Alan (25 November 2018). "Match Report: Southport 0–0 Chester – FA Trophy". Southport F.C. Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
    For FA Trophy third qualifying round replay: Jones, Alan (28 November 2018). "Match Report: Chester 0–2 Southport – FA Trophy". Southport F.C. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  35. ↑ For FA Cup second qualifying round: Powell, Dave (21 September 2019). "Chester FC 1 Altrincham 1: FA Cup replay beckons after bizarre game". Cheshire Live. Reach. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
    For FA Cup second qualifying round replay: McDougall, John (24 September 2019). "Altrincham 1 Chester FC 0: Blues dumped out of the FA Cup after second qualifying round replay defeat". Cheshire Live. Reach. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
    For FA Trophy third qualifying round: "FA Trophy Report: Brackley Town 0–1 Chester". Chester F.C. 23 November 2019. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  36. ↑ "Results - the Pitching in Northern Premier League".
  37. ↑ "Ashton United – Appearances – Craig Mahon – 2019–2020". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  38. ↑ For FA Cup second qualifying round: "Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round – Curzon Ashton 1–2 FC United of Manchester – 2020–2021". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  39. ↑ For FA Cup second qualifying round: "Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round – Curzon Ashton 4–0 Stockton Town – 2021–2022". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
    For FA Cup third qualifying round: "Emirates FA Cup Third Qualifying Round – Curzon Ashton 4–0 Cleethorpes Town – 2021–2022". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  40. ↑ "Craig Mahon - Curzon Ashton Football Club Mens First Team".
  41. ↑ For FA Cup second qualifying round: "Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round – FC United of Manchester 2–3 Curzon Ashton". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
    For FA Cup third qualifying round: "FA Cup stalemate with Curzon". Scarborough Athletic F.C. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
    For FA Cup third qualifying round replay: "Curzon Ashton 3 Boro 2". Scarborough Athletic F.C. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  42. ↑ "Report: Warrington Town 2-3 Curzon Ashton | Warrington Town". 17 September 2023.
  43. ↑ "Recap | Curzon Ashton (A)". October 2023.
  44. ↑ "Craig Mahon - Curzon Ashton Football Club Mens First Team".
  45. ↑ "Club Statement".
  46. ↑ "Club Statement: Adam Lakeland appointed as new Curzon Ashton manager".
  47. ↑ "Mens First Team fixtures & results".
  48. ↑ "The club and Adam Lakeland have parted ways".
  49. ↑ "Curzon coaching staff extend contracts to 2025 - Quest Media Network - Tameside Radio, Tameside Reporter, Oldham Reporter, Glossop Chronicle". Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  50. ↑ "Mens First Team fixtures & results".
  51. ↑ https://www.afcfylde.co.uk/news/2025/june/13/craig-mahon-appointed-afc-fylde-head-coach-today/
  52. ↑ Hewitt, Matty (1 August 2020). "Play-off heartbreak in final game at York Street – Boston United 0–1 Altrincham". Lincolnshire Live. Reach. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
edit
  • Profile at the Curzon Ashton F.C. website
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