Experienced stopper Mark Crossley signed a contract extension in summer 2008 and is contracted to the club until the end of the 2008/09 season.

The Welsh international initially joined Athletic in summer 2007 after leaving Premiership outfit Fulham as a free agent after serving as backup to first Edwin van der Sar and then Antti Niemi.

Crossley -- capped eight times by his country -- began his career as a trainee at Nottingham Forest, and went on to make 384 appearances for the City Ground club over a 13-year period.

He went out on loan twice while with Forest, to Manchester United in January 1990 (no appearances) and to Millwall in February 1998 (14 appearances).

Crossley joined Middlesbrough in July 2000, appearing on 31 occasions for Boro and a further 12 times during two loan spells at Stoke.

London called when the experienced keeper linked up with Fulham in a £500,000 move in August 2003, making 23 appearances in just under four years with the club.

Much of the 2006/07 season was spent on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, and Crossley made 20 appearances as the Hillsbrough outfit consolidated in the Coca-Cola Championship.

Although he initially struggled with injuries in 2007/08, Crossley produced a string of top-drawer displays in the second half of the season as Athletic finished eighth in League One.

The Barnsley-born keeper also holds several footballing distinctions.

Along with Dave Beasant, he remains the only goalkeeper ever to save a penalty in normal time in an FA Cup Final, and is the only player ever to deny Matthew Le Tissier from the penalty spot.

Crossley combines his playing duties with a role as the club's goalkeeping coach.