Darren Wood
Personal information
Date of birth (1964-06-09) 9 June 1964
Place of birth Scarborough, England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Position(s) Full back
Youth career
– Middlesbrough
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1981–1984 Middlesbrough 101 (6)
1984–1989 Chelsea 144 (3)
1989–1990 Sheffield Wednesday 11 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Darren Wood (born 9 June 1964) is an English former footballer, who played as a full back in the Football League between 1981 and 1990 for Middlesbrough,[2] Chelsea[3][4] and Sheffield Wednesday.[2]

Born in Scarborough, Wood began his career with Middlesbrough, making 101 league appearances between 1981 and 1984.[2] He became the focal point of a dispute which ended Malcolm Allison's managerial reign at Middlesbrough: with the club on the verge of liquidation, Allison threatened to resign if Wood were sold to Chelsea for £100,000,[5] declaring that it was "better for the club to die than to linger on".[6] Chairman Mike McCullagh accused Allison of no longer being reliable in trying to save the club and promptly sacked him,[7] installing Jack Charlton as caretaker manager.[8] In September 1984, Wood joined Chelsea for a fee reported as "around £50,000" and the return of former Middlesbrough captain Tony McAndrew to Ayresome Park.[9] The Evening Gazette reported that Liverpool had offered £250,000 for Wood just six months earlier.

Wood eventually played in 178 matches in all competitions for the west London club.[4] Being switched to midfield, where he was unpopular when keeping the stylish Micky Hazard out of the team.[10] He was sold to Sheffield Wednesday in 1989, but made only a handful of appearances before retiring due to a back injury endured over a 2-year period.[11]

Wood captained England Schoolboys at the age of 15. He followed in his father’s footsteps who also captained England Schoolboys and they are the only father and son to have achieved this. After retiring as a player he went into the food retail business owning 12 delicatessens across Yorkshire. He settled in his wife's hometown of Leeds, in the village of Thorner, with their 2 children.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1990). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1990–91 (21st ed.). London: Queen Anne Press. p. 490. ISBN 0-356-17911-7.
  2. 1 2 3 "Darren Wood". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 26 November 2009.
  3. ↑ "Chelsea : 1946/47–2008/09". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 26 November 2009.
  4. 1 2 "Darren Wood". Historical Player Database. Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 26 November 2009.
  5. ↑ Horridge, Dave (22 March 1984). "Taylor's torment" (PDF). Daily Mirror. p. 30. Retrieved 26 November 2009. Malcolm Allison will quit Middlesbrough if the club sell full-back Darren Wood to Chelsea for £100,000. The Boro boss gave his ultimatum to chairman Mike McCullagh yesterday. But Boro face the threat of closure unless they can raise £200,000 before today's transfer deadline.
  6. ↑ "Malcolm Allison (October 1982 to March 1984)". Middlesbrough F.C. Retrieved 26 November 2009.
  7. ↑ "Another exit for Allison". The Times. 29 March 1984. p. 23. 'He can no longer be relied upon to co-operate with us in trying to save the club. I have dismissed Malcolm Allison,' McCullagh said.
  8. ↑ Dougray, John (30 March 1984). "Charlton back at his old desk". The Times. p. 22.
  9. ↑ "Reinforcement for Chelsea". The Times. 26 September 1984. p. 23.
  10. ↑ The Evening Standard
  11. 1 2 Bevan, Chris (6 March 2008). "Did you see Tykes thrash Chelsea?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 November 2009.
  • Darren Wood at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
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