Andy Rafferty


Andrew James Rafferty is an English footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Spennymoor Town.

Club career

Early career

Rafferty started his career at Darlington but left the club aged 16. Upon leaving, Rafferty had trials at Southampton, Reading and Wigan Athletic but a broken finger left him unable to sign. He went to play part-time for Crook Town and Horden Colliery Welfare before joining Guisborough Town in 2008 and in two seasons he made 49 appearances for the club picking up the Player of the Year award in both seasons.

Hartlepool United

Rafferty joined Hartlepool United in the summer of 2010 from Guisborough Town. Shortly into the new season, Rafferty broke his hand and two bones in his finger in September 2010. When he returned from injury, Rafferty spent the majority of the season as back-up to Scott Flinders before making his Hartlepool United debut in a 1–1 draw against Tranmere Rovers in April 2011.
A knee injury during pre-season in the 2012–13 season ruled Rafferty out for the majority of the season which led to him undergoing an intricate operation to repair the patella tendon in his left knee and return to training for the first time at the start of March. He was named on the Hartlepool team-sheet as a substitute for the first time of the season in a 2–2 draw against Crawley Town on the final game of the season.
Rafferty started in April 2014 in a 1–0 defeat to Portsmouth in which he saved a penalty from Ryan Taylor and was named the Man of the Match. He made three further appearances before the end of the season. On 14 August 2014 he left Hartlepool United his contract was cancelled by mutual consent.

Dover Athletic

On 19 September 2014 Rafferty joined Conference Premier side Dover Athletic. The team had a run of 16 unbeaten games both home and away, including in two FA Cup shock wins over Football League sides Morecambe and Cheltenham Town. Rafferty did not concede in his first 8 home appearances starting with the match against Alfreton Town and ending against Torquay United. Dover Athletic went on to reach the third round of the FA Cup and played at home against Premier League club Crystal Palace. Dover lost the match 4–0, Rafferty's performance earned him second place in the Football Association's Third Round Top Five Saves. Dover beat Wrexham 2–0 on 20 January 2015 to maintain their record 13 games unbeaten. Rafferty was part of the 2015-16 squad which achieved the club's highest finish in the National League, missing out to Forest Green Rovers in the play off semi finals.

Spennymoor Town

On 1 July 2016, Rafferty moved back to the North East to join newly promoted Northern Premier League Premier Division side, Spennymoor Town.