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Connor Wickham comes home from Dubai on a short-term deal at Crawley

13 Nov 2026 · Coming Home

Connor Wickham is back playing in England. League Two side Crawley Town signed the 33-year-old striker on 10 November on a short-term deal that ends in early January, the BBC reports.

Wickham has not played in English football since leaving Charlton Athletic in May 2024. His most recent club was Dubai City in the UAE second division, where he had a brief spell, and he trained with the PFA's free agent group in pre-season, according to TWTD.

He came through the Ipswich Town academy, debuting at 16, before moves to Sunderland, Crystal Palace and a run of shorter stints at other clubs. talkSPORT reports Crawley is the 12th club of his career. He came off the bench and scored a late penalty on his debut against Brentford's under-21 side.

Crawley are bottom of League Two and return to league action against Fleetwood Town on 21 November.

What it means for the move

Coming home after a short stint abroad can mean starting again on a short deal. If that is you, check how pay from your last club overseas was finished off, and when your first pay from the new club lands. Know what happens in January: who decides on an extension, and how much notice you get. Keep your housing and family plans flexible until the longer picture is clear.

Sources