Oliver Vincent Finney (born 15 December 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Kidsgrove Athletic.

Oliver Finney
Finney with Hartlepool United in 2023
Personal information
Full name Oliver Vincent Finney[1]
Date of birth (1997-12-15) 15 December 1997 (age 26)[2]
Place of birth Newcastle-Under-Lyme, England
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[3]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Kidsgrove Athletic
Youth career
0000–2016 Crewe Alexandra
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2023 Crewe Alexandra 99 (14)
2016–2017Nantwich Town (loan)
2017Halesowen Town (loan) 0 (0)
2023 Hartlepool United 20 (2)
2023– Kidsgrove Athletic 5 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:57, 24 January 2024 (UTC)

After seven seasons at his first club, Crewe Alexandra, Finney joined Hartlepool United in January 2023 before leaving in November 2023.

Career

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Crewe Alexandra

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Finney signed professional terms with Crewe in early 2016 while still a scholar in the club's academy.[4] In December 2016, he joined Nantwich Town on loan.[5]

He made his Crewe debut on 6 May 2017, coming on as a 72nd-minute substitute for James Jones against Barnet at Gresty Road, Crewe's final game of the 2016–17 season.[6] On 9 May 2017, Crewe announced that Finney had been offered a new contract by the club,[7] and he signed a new one-year deal on 11 May 2017.[8]

On 1 September 2017, Finney signed for Northern Premier League team Halesowen Town on a two-month loan deal along with teammate Daniel Udoh,[9] returning to Crewe in November after incurring an injury.[10]

Finney signed a further one-year contract with Crewe in May 2018.[11] He made his first start for Crewe in a Football League Trophy tie against Manchester City under-21s on 25 September 2018,[12] and his first start in a league game at Northampton Town on 3 November 2018.[13]

Offered a new contract by Crewe at the end of the 2018–19 season,[14] Finney agreed a new one-year deal with another year option.[15] On 9 October 2019, Finney scored his first Crewe goal, the equaliser in an EFL Trophy tie at Mansfield Town that finished 1–1; he then scored in the penalty shoot-out that Crewe won 4–3.[16] He scored his first two league goals in a 5–0 win over Morecambe at Gresty Road on 23 November 2019.[17]

A contract extension clause was triggered by Crewe in June 2020,[18] and Finney signed a new three-year contract in September 2020.[19] After scoring eight goals in 30 previous appearances during the 2020–21 season, Finney suffered a broken leg due to what Crewe manager David Artell described as "a horrific tackle" by Shrewsbury's Harry Chapman in Crewe's 1–0 win on 2 February 2021.[20] In April 2021, he was rated unlikely to play again in the remainder of the season.[21][22] In July 2021, Finney agreed another year-long extension to his contract, committing himself to Crewe until 2024.[23]

Hartlepool United

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On 31 January 2023, Finney signed for League Two side Hartlepool United on a permanent deal,[24] making his debut in Pools' 1–0 win at Doncaster Rovers on 4 February 2023.[25] On 1 April 2023, he scored his first Hartlepool goal with a long distance strike in added time to win the match 2–1 against Swindon Town.[26] Finney left Hartlepool on 2 November 2023.[27]

Kidsgrove Athletic

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After leaving Pools, Finney signed for Northern Premier League Division One West side Kidsgrove Athletic. He made his debut in a 2–1 win over Trafford on 25 November 2023.[28]

Personal life

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Finney is the older brother of Crewe Alexandra midfielder Charlie Finney.[29]

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In March 2018, Finney received a 17-month driving ban after he was caught driving whilst almost two times over the drink-drive limit. He was fined £219 and also ordered to pay £165 costs.[30]

In October 2023, Finney was charged with raping a woman in Cheshire in 2022 and was initially suspended by Hartlepool United,[31] before leaving the club early the following month.[32] On 14 December 2023, he pleaded not guilty to the rape charge at Chester Crown Court, and was bailed ahead of a trial scheduled for December 2024.[33]

Career statistics

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As of match played 26 December 2023
Club Season Division League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Crewe Alexandra 2016–17 League Two 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2017–18[34] League Two 1 0 - - - - - - 1 0
2018–19[35] League Two 17 0 1 0 - - 1[a] 0 19 0
2019–20[36] League Two 18 5 2 0 1 0 3[a] 1 24 6
2020–21[37] League One 25 7 2 1 1 0 3[a] 0 31 8
2021–22[38] League One 27 2 1 0 1 0 5[a] 2 34 4
2022–23[39] League Two 10 0 0 0 1 0 3[a] 0 14 0
Total 99 14 6 1 4 0 15 3 124 17
Hartlepool United 2022–23[39] League Two 12 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 1
2023–24[3] National League 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 1
Total 20 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 2
Kidsgrove Athletic 2023–24[40] NPL Division One West 5 0 0 0 0 0 1[b] 0 6 0
Career total 124 16 6 1 4 0 16 3 150 19
  1. ^ a b c d e Appearances in EFL Trophy
  2. ^ Appearance in Staffordshire Senior Cup

Honours

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Crewe Alexandra

References

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  1. ^ "Retained List 2015–16" (PDF). English Football League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Ollie Finney". 11v11. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  3. ^ a b Oliver Finney at Soccerway. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  4. ^ Sharpe, Rick (20 April 2016). "Crewe Alexandra: Teenage midfielder becomes latest Academy graduate to pen first professional deal". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  5. ^ Whitney, Steve (7 December 2016). "Dabbers Borrow Crewe Youngster". Non-League News. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  6. ^ "Crewe Alexandra 4–1 Barnet". BBC Sport. 6 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  7. ^ Crewe Alexandra Retained List 2017, CreweAlex.net. Retrieved: 9 May 2017.
  8. ^ "Oliver Finney Signs New Crewe Contract". CreweAlex.net. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  9. ^ "NEW SIGNINGS Crewe Alexandra pair Oliver Finley and Daniel Udoh join on 2 month loan". Halesowen Town F.C.
  10. ^ "Loans: Dale Joins Witton, Udoh Remains At Halesowen, Finney Returns". CreweAlex.net. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  11. ^ "Contracts: Finney & Jaaskelainen Pen New Deals". CreweAlex.net. 8 May 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  12. ^ "Report: Crewe Alex 1–4 Man City U21". CreweAlex.Net. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  13. ^ "Northampton Town 2–0 Crewe Alexandra". BBC Sport. BBC. 3 November 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  14. ^ "Crewe Alexandra: Nicky Hunt signs new deal, but George Ray rejects contract offer". BBC Sport. 7 May 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  15. ^ Wilson, Rob (14 May 2019). "Boss: "Finney Has Gone On Again This Season And Needs To Do So Again"". CreweAlex.net. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  16. ^ "Mansfield Town 1–1 Crewe Alexandra". Mansfield Town FC. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  17. ^ "Crewe Alexandra 5–0 Morecambe". BBC Sport. BBC. 23 November 2019. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  18. ^ Morse, Peter (10 June 2020). "Paul Green and Nicky Hunt released as Crewe Alex announce retained list". Cheshire Live. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  19. ^ "Oli Finney: Crewe Alexandra midfielder signs three-year contract". BBC Sport. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  20. ^ "Oli Finney Suffers Broken Leg". CreweAlex.net. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  21. ^ "Finney 'Unlikely' To Feature Again This Season". CAFC. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  22. ^ "Crewe Alex: Offord out for rest of term as Artell puts Finney comeback on hold for now". Crewe Nub News. 23 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  23. ^ Johnson, Steve (28 July 2021). "Midfielder signs to 2024". Vital Football. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  24. ^ "Pools Sign Oliver Finney". Hartlepool United. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  25. ^ "Doncaster Rovers 0–1 Hartlepool United". BBC Sport. 4 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  26. ^ Joe Ramage (1 April 2023). "Hartlepool United 2–1 Swindon Town: Pools stage dramatic late comeback to boost relegation hopes". Hartlepool Mail. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  27. ^ "Oliver Finney: Midfielder leaves Hartlepool United after rape charge". BBC Sport. 3 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  28. ^ "Oliver Finney". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  29. ^ "Charlie Finney". Crewe Alexandra. 1 July 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  30. ^ "Promising footballer, 20, banned from driving after blowing almost twice the legal drink-drive limit". Stoke Sentinel. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  31. ^ "Former Crewe Alex player charged with rape and suspended by current club". Crewe Nub News. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  32. ^ Ledwith, Gavin (15 November 2023). "Finney appears in court charged with raping a woman". Hartlepool Mail. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  33. ^ "Ex-Hartlepool United midfielder Oliver Finney will face trial after pleading not guilty to rape". TeessideLive. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  34. ^ "Games played by Oliver Finney in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  35. ^ "Games played by Oliver Finney in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  36. ^ "Games played by Oliver Finney in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  37. ^ "Games played by Oliver Finney in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  38. ^ "Games played by Oliver Finney in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  39. ^ a b "Games played by Oliver Finney in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  40. ^ "Oliver Finney". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  41. ^ Ged Scott (13 June 2020). "David Artell: Crewe Alexandra boss was always 'quietly confident' of winning promotion". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 January 2023.