Oliver Finney

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

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

Career

Crewe Alexandra

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

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. On 9 May 2017, Crewe announced that Finney had been offered a new contract by the club, and he signed a new one-year deal on 11 May 2017.

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

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

Offered a new contract by Crewe at the end of the 2018–19 season, Finney agreed a new one-year deal with another year option. 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. He scored his first two league goals in a 5–0 win over Morecambe at Gresty Road on 23 November 2019.

A contract extension clause was triggered by Crewe in June 2020, and Finney signed a new three-year contract in September 2020. 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. In April 2021, he was rated unlikely to play again in the remainder of the season. In July 2021, Finney agreed another year-long extension to his contract, committing himself to Crewe until 2024.

Hartlepool United

On 31 January 2023, Finney signed for League Two side Hartlepool United on a permanent deal, making his debut in Pools' 1–0 win at Doncaster Rovers on 4 February 2023. 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. Finney left Hartlepool on 2 November 2023.

Kidsgrove Athletic

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, he struggled for playing time while his legal issues were occurring and played only once in the 2024–25 season in a 3–3 draw at Bootle on 26 April 2025, a month after he was acquitted of rape. On 4 June 2025, it was announced Finney had signed a new one-year contract with Kidsgrove.

Personal life

Finney is the older brother of Crewe Alexandra midfielder Charlie Finney.

Legal issues

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.

In October 2023, Finney was charged with raping a woman in Cheshire in 2022 and was initially suspended by Hartlepool United, before leaving the club early the following month. On 14 December 2023, he pleaded not guilty to the rape charge at Chester Crown Court, and was bailed ahead of a trial originally scheduled for December 2024, later postponed to March 2025, when he was found not guilty at Chester Crown Court.

Career statistics

Honours

Crewe Alexandra
*EFL League Two runner-up: 2019–20

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Finney, Oliver
1997 births
Living people
English men's footballers
English Football League players
Northern Premier League players
Footballers from Stoke-on-Trent
Crewe Alexandra F.C. players
Nantwich Town F.C. players
Halesowen Town F.C. players
Hartlepool United F.C. players
Kidsgrove Athletic F.C. players
Men's association football midfielders
21st-century English sportsmen