Anthony Steven Crane (born 8 September 1982) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender, midfielder and makeshift centre forward from 1999 to 2009.
The 1999–2000 campaign would spell the end of Wednesday's stay in the Premier League, as well as this, Crane failed to make an appearance in England's top division for The Owls.
A slight aggravation in his old injury would eventually see Tony lose his place to Whittle in the team in September 2005, and after several months on the sidelines he had appeared to gain weight rapidly and became alarmingly unfit by the standards of a professional footballer.
With many people expecting Crane to return to Grimsby and fight for his place, he did not and he moved to Worksop on a permanent deal in January 2006 on a free transfer.
In June 2007 he joined former Football League side Boston United on trial, along with fellow former Grimsby players Jonathan Rowan, Matthew Bloomer and Adam Buckley.
Taylor, also commented that his weight was the reason that Crane received at least a yellow card in nearly every game he played in, mentioning that he was slow on challenging and his big frame would often be used against him when in a tussle with an opponent.
In December following the sacking of Tommy Taylor, Boston's new manager Steve Welsh confirmed the club would like to resign Crane, if he was in a fit enough state to play.
Despite being recognised as a talismanic figurehead amongst the club's crop of players at the time his weight instantly led to his departure from professional football when he left Grimsby to join Worksop Town in 2006.
Whilst with Boston United during the 2007–2008 season, writer Duncan Browne wrote "Despite having arguably the finest touch in the Blue Square North, he certainly had the largest frame (the club's XL shirt and shorts fitting him as if he was a cyclist),".
"Despite becoming an instant fans' favourite, he got into several scrapes with manager Tommy Taylor, failing to show up for training and even getting busted for playing in goal for a Sheffield Sunday League side while under contract.
"Taylor once joked: 'It would help if Craney stopped turning up for training with a Big Mac' – – eventually dropping him for the final seven games of the season due to his inability to shed the weight.