 Represented Republic of Ireland at the World Student Games in 1993.This form attracted Newcastle United and he moved to Tyneside in 1995.While playing for Newcastle, Crawford found his first-team opportunities limited (scoring only once in a pre-season game against Derry City) and was sent out on loan to both Rotherham United and Dundee United before signing up for Reading in March 1998, with Tommy Burns at the helm.