Darren Wright (footballer, born 1968)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Darren James Wright[1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 14 March 1968||
Place of birth | West Bromwich, England[2] | ||
Position(s) | Left-Back | ||
Youth career | |||
Wolverhampton Wanderers | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1985–1986 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1 | (0) |
1986–1991 | Wrexham | 110 | (4) |
1991–1992 | Worcester City | ||
1996–1998 | Cheltenham Town | ||
1998–1999 | Stafford Rangers | ||
Halesowen Town | |||
Managerial career | |||
2016 | Panjab | ||
2018– | Kernow | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:48, 21 March 2018 (UTC) |
Darren James Wright (born 14 March 1968) is an English former footballer, who played as a defender. Originally a centre-back in his youth, he played professionally at full-back.[3] He is the current head coach of the Kernow football team in Non-FIFA football.
Playing career
Wright would get his start at Wolverhampton Wanderers, the club he supported, playing for their second team whilst still in school,[3] however he would only make one senior appearance for the club – an away match at Plymouth Argyle.[2]
In 1986 he would sign for Wrexham, where he would make 110 appearances in 4 years,[2] winning Young Player of the Season in both the 1987–88 and 1988–89 seasons.[4]
His Wrexham and fully professional career would come to an end through cruciate and cartilage damage in his knee, sustained in a match with Doncaster Rovers in a 50/50 challenge with forward Mark Rankine.[3]
After his recovery, he would move to non-league football with Worcester City, spending a year at the Worcestershire club.[1]
He would then move to Cheltenham Town, where, during his two-year spell there he would win promotion from the Doc Martens league to the Conference, and the FA Trophy.[3]
After Cheltenham, he would move to Stafford Rangers before ending his career at Halesowen Town.[3]
Coaching career
After football, Wright would hold many coaching jobs, including senior team coach at Rushall Olympic, assistant manager at Continental Star and coaching youths at Wolverhampton Wanderers.[3] He managed Panjab in 2016, taking them to the final of the 2016 ConIFA World Football Cup. In 2018 he took charge of the first Kernow football team.
Personal life
During a charity game he played for Wrexham Veterans against Mold Alexandra on 12 July 2014, Wright suffered a heart attack.[5] He made a full recovery and was still playing charity matches in 2015.[3]
Honours
Individual
- Young Player of the Season: 1987–88, 1988–89
Team
- Promotion from Southern Football League: 1996–97
- FA Trophy: 1997–98
References
- ^ a b "Darren Wright". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Darren Wright". Neil Brown. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Made Of The Wright Stuff How Darren Bounced Back From Molineux Rejection". Charlie Bamforth. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ "Young Player of the Season". Wrexhamfan.wordpress.com. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ "Former Wrexham FC star recovering after suffering heart attack in charity game". Steve Bagnall. Retrieved 21 March 2018.