Paul Crichton
A journeyman goalkeeper whose resilience across England's lower leagues forged a career now dedicated to coaching the next generation of shot-stoppers.
Born 1968 (age 58)·English footballer and coach·Birthday: October 3·Generation X
Biography
Paul Crichton's story is one of English football's reliable workhorses. His career wasn't defined by Premier League glamour, but by the grit and consistency required in the Football League's trenches. From his beginnings at Norwich City, he embarked on a tour of clubs including West Bromwich Albion, Burnley, and Gillingham, amassing over 400 professional appearances. Crichton was the kind of goalkeeper managers could depend on—a steady presence during the unpredictable battles of the First Division and beyond. After hanging up his gloves, he seamlessly transitioned into coaching, imparting the lessons of a long, practical career. He has served as a goalkeeper coach for several clubs, most notably in the women's game with the Orlando Pride in the NWSL, where he now applies his hard-earned wisdom to developing elite talent.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Paul was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Paul Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Paul's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Made over 400 senior appearances as a professional goalkeeper across a 17-year playing career in England.
- Played a key role in Burnley's 1999-2000 campaign, helping them secure promotion to what is now the Championship.
- Served as the goalkeeper coach for Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League, working with top international players.
- Had a notable stint at West Bromwich Albion, making 75 appearances for the club during the 1990s.
Did You Know?
He kept a clean sheet in his professional debut for Norwich City in a League Cup match in 1989.
Crichton played under manager Stan Ternent at both Bury and Burnley.
He briefly played in Scotland for Greenock Morton on loan from Norwich early in his career.
“My job was simple: stop the ball, organize the defense, and don't overcomplicate it.”
