Blades-Mad feature former Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke City and Leeds United striker Richard Cresswell in our player-profiles section.
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Name: Richard Paul Wesley Cresswell
DoB: 20 September 1977
POB: Bridlington
Height: 6ft 0inch
Debut: 29/09/2009 vs. Ipswich Town (3-3) (sub)
Clubs: York City (1995-99, 83 (28) + 24), Mansfield Town (loan, 1997, 5 (0) + 1), Sheffield Wednesday (1999-00, 8 (28) + 3), Leicester City (2000-01, 4 (9) + 1), Preston North End (loan, 2001, 6 (8) + 2), Preston North End (2001-05, 172 (20) + 55), Leeds United (2005-07, 31 (13) + 11), Stoke City (2007-10, 61 (22) + 13), Sheffield United (loan, 2009, 9 (1) + 3), Sheffield United (2010-??).
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Richard Cresswell was brought to Bramall Lane initially on loan from Premier League outfit Stoke City during the course of the 2009/10 season; but he soon adapted to the squad and wasn't long before he became a permanent signing for the Red and White Wizards.
He started his career with York City in November 1995. On 20 January 1996 the Minstermen handed him his Football League debut against Brentford in a 2-0 defeat.
The following season he continued to feature during their third tier exploits; though failed to find the net and was drafted out on loan to Mansfield Town in March 1997, debuting in a 0-0 draw at Exeter City.
At the end of the season he returned to Bootham Crescent and made waves in the City side, whilst the Minstermen potted around League One it was clear that the young striker would go onto better things.
Though during his early days of his City career he had to work hard to win over the fans and was the subject of undeserved criticism; but during the 1998/99 season was clubs top scorer with 19 goals.
In February 1999 he became the clubs first player to gain international honours when he came on as a late substitute for England U-21's victory over France (2-1) at Pride Park, Derby County.
In 1999 the club were relegated to the bottom tier of English Football, but Cresswell had already completed a full £950,000 (a club record) transfer to Sheffield Wednesday in March.
He made his Owls debut in early April in a 2-1 home defeat to Coventry City, and a month later netted the winner against Liverpool.
On the final day of the season the S6 club won 1-0 at Charlton Athletic, they were expected to qualify for a European place via the fair play league; however their hopes were dashed when Peter Atherton was given his marching orders.
The following season he netted just twice, his only top flight goal coming against West Ham United in a 3-1 victory. He played in the last home game for the Owls in a 4-0 win over Leicester City. That win over the Foxes proved a scant consolation to a dire season which ended in relegation to Davison One.
He would start the 2000/01 campaign with the Hillsborough club and played on their opening season draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers (1-1) at Molineux in a game were keeper Kevin Pressman was sent off after just 13 seconds.
On 1 August 2000 he left the Owls and would play both Premier League and European football with Leicester City; he joined the Filbert Street club in August 2000 in a £750,000 fee - he made his debut in the UEFA Cup in a 1-1 home draw with Red Star Belgrade; they subsequently lost the return leg 3-1 and were dumped out at an early stage.
His time with the Foxes was short lived and failed to make an impression in a strike force which consisted of Trevor Benjamin, Ade Akinbiyi and Dean Sturridge. He scored his only goal for City in an FA Cup fixture at home to former club York City in a 3-0 win.
In March 2001 he joined Preston North End on loan and scored on his debut at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers (2-0); he scored again at Barnsley (4-0) in what was a successful Lilywhites outfit which finished in a top six position.
They faced Birmingham City at the semi-final stage; they lost the first leg 1-0 but won the second leg at Deepdale 2-1. Mark Rankine scoring a last minute winner to send the game firstly into extra-time and then won the game 4-2 on penalties.
Cresswell made an appearance as a substitute in the final at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. It was the first time the final had been played outside England following the demolition of Wembley. It wasn't the former national stadium that was also being smashed; Bolton Wanderers swept a side North End in a 3-0 win.
The Lancashire club snapped the striker up in a £500,000 transfer and started the 2001/02 season with a 5-0 defeat to the hands of Gillingham but Cressie scored 15 goals that season as they finished eight, three points away from a play-off position.
He scored 16 goals the following campaign but a twelfth Championship finish but only managed finding the net in 2003/04 in what was personally an awful season for the striker; he was sent off in a game at Coventry City (1-4) which ended in defeat.
However the following season was an achievement for the club; four years after disappointment in Wales the Lilywhites once again finished in a play-off place.
Cresswell had a fantastic season; scoring 21 goals as he partnered David Nugent and David Healy in attack. He scored his first ever professional hat-trick in a League Cup game against former club
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Leicester City (3-2); whilst also netting three in a game against Sunderland (3-0) on New Year's Day.
He scored in the semi-finals against Derby County (2-0) at Deepdale as they drew their second leg 0-0 as the Lilywhites cruised through. However they were once again outdone in the final - this time to West Ham United (0-1) via a Bobby Zamora strike.
The striker featured in their first three fixtures of the season before completing a £1,115,000 transfer to Leeds United under then manager Kevin Blackwell - making his debut in a 1-0 win at Norwich City.
He found his first goals in a League Cup fixture at Rotherham United (2-0) but appearances were few and far between due to injury. Still the Whites finished in a play-off spot and at this point the Bridlington born forward must think himself something of a jinx.
They faced Preston North End in the semi-finals; respectively drawing 1-1 at Elland Road which ended in controversy; Richard Cresswell amongst others being booked after a mass scuffle towards the end of the game.
Leeds won the second leg 2-0 and guided their way to a showcase final in Cardiff; but for Cresswell he would sit out this fixture after receiving two bookings at Deepdale as would be suspended for Watford's victory (3-0) over the Whites at Millennium Stadium.
Despite ended the season on a low it was a fantastic season for the Whites who were rebuilding on a budget after being relegated from the Premier League in 2004; but the 2006/07 Coca-Cola Championship campaign was to prove disastrous.
Early heavy defeats in the season against Stoke City (0-4), Luton Town (1-5), Preston North End (1-4) and Southampton (0-3) set the West Yorkshire club onto a struggling season; the striker netted just four goals in a difficult season (again through injury) which ended in firstly relegation and then swiftly administration.
That summer he was part of a exodus at Elland Road; joining Stoke City for an undisclosed fee after a proposed move to Hull City collapsed. Signing a three year deal. He made his debut in a narrow victory at Cardiff City (1-0) and scored in the following fixture at Rochdale in the League Cup.
He was virtually ever present as he found the net twelve times; this mainly as he was used as a right winger. He found the net on 26 April 2008 at Colchester United (1-0); this proved to be the final goal ever scored at the U's former Layer Road ground.
It was a successful season for both the Potters and Cresswell whom won automatic promotion; finishing second behind West Bromwich Albion.
Again he was used as a right winger during their Premiership campaign; though only found the net once in a domestic cup fixture against Cheltenham Town despite featuring many times for the Britannia Stadium club; yet they escaped relegation and finished twelfth.
In September 2009 he was sent out on loan to Sheffield United having falling behind in the pecking order at City. He joined initially on a three month loan; making his debut as a substitute in a 3-3 home draw with Ipswich Town.
He made his full debut in the following game against Doncaster Rovers and scored in a 1-1 draw; he played in ten games whilst on loan before completing a £500,000 transfer and has since become a huge success under Blades boss Kevin Blackwell, ending as clubs' top scorer with fourteen.
No doubt his most notable goal would have been against Plymouth Argyle where he fooled their goal keeper to find the net whilst the shot stopper was unaware of his presence. On June 2010 he signed a three year deal.
Updated: June 2010
