Dwight Yorke facts for kids
Yorke in 2012
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Dwight Eversley Yorke | ||
| Date of birth | 3 November 1971 | ||
| Place of birth | Canaan, Trinidad and Tobago | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward, winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1988–1989 | Signal Hill Comprehensive School | ||
| 1989–1990 | Aston Villa | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1990–1998 | Aston Villa | 231 | (74) |
| 1998–2002 | Manchester United | 96 | (48) |
| 2002–2004 | Blackburn Rovers | 60 | (12) |
| 2004–2005 | Birmingham City | 13 | (2) |
| 2005–2006 | Sydney FC | 22 | (7) |
| 2006–2009 | Sunderland | 59 | (6) |
| Total | 481 | (149) | |
| International career | |||
| 1989–2009 | Trinidad and Tobago | 72 | (19) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2022–2023 | Macarthur FC | ||
| 2024– | Trinidad and Tobago | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Dwight Eversley Yorke (born on November 3, 1971) is a famous football coach and former player from Trinidad and Tobago. He is currently the head coach of the Trinidad and Tobago national team. During his playing career, he was a forward for several top clubs. These included Aston Villa, Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, Sydney FC, and Sunderland.
Yorke is best known for his time at Manchester United. There, he formed a powerful attacking duo with Andy Cole. Together, they helped Manchester United win many important trophies. This included several Premier League titles and the amazing "Treble" in 1999. The Treble means winning the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League all in one season. Yorke scored 123 goals in the Premier League. This was a record for a player from outside Europe until Sergio Agüero broke it in 2017.
For his country, Yorke played 74 times for Trinidad and Tobago. He scored 19 goals between 1989 and 2009. He helped his team reach the semi-finals of the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He also led them to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time ever in 2006. After he stopped playing in 2009, Yorke became an assistant manager for the Trinidad and Tobago national team.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting at Aston Villa
Dwight Yorke was first noticed by Graham Taylor, who was the manager of Aston Villa. This happened during a trip to the West Indies in 1989. Yorke was only 17 years old at the time. He played in a friendly match against Aston Villa. Taylor was very impressed by Yorke's skills.
Yorke was offered a trial at Villa and then given a full contract. He played for Aston Villa from 1989 to 1998. He started as a right winger. Later, in the 1995–96 season, he became a centre forward. He quickly became one of the best strikers in the Premier League.
Yorke was a key player when Villa reached the League Cup Final in 1996. Aston Villa won the final 3–0 against Leeds United, and Yorke scored one of the goals. He played 284 games for Aston Villa and scored 97 goals.
Joining Manchester United
On August 20, 1998, Yorke moved to Manchester United for £12.6 million. In his first season, he was a crucial player. He helped his new club win a unique "Treble." This meant they won the Premier League title, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. He formed a fantastic partnership with Andy Cole.
Yorke was the top goalscorer in the league that season with 18 goals. He also scored important goals in the Champions League against big teams like Bayern Munich and Barcelona. He was named the Premier League Player of the Season. Yorke also helped United win the league title again in the 1999–2000 season. He scored 23 goals in all competitions that year.
He scored his 100th Premier League goal on November 24, 2000, in a 3-0 win against Derby County. He played his last game for United in January 2002. Overall, he scored 65 goals for Manchester United in 152 games.
Time at Blackburn Rovers
In July 2002, Yorke joined Blackburn Rovers. He was reunited with his former Manchester United teammate, Andy Cole. In his first season at Blackburn, Yorke scored 13 goals. This included the winning goal against Arsenal in October 2002. He also scored twice against his old club, Aston Villa, in the FA Cup.
Playing for Birmingham City
On August 31, 2004, Yorke moved to Birmingham City. He scored in his first home game for Birmingham, a 1-1 draw against Charlton Athletic. He scored again against Newcastle United. However, he did not play as much as he wanted. He left the club in April 2005.
Moving to Sydney FC
Yorke then signed with Sydney FC in Australia. He was a "marquee player," which means his salary was outside the team's normal pay limit. This helped bring more attention to the new A-League. He scored the first goal for Sydney FC in their first regular season match.
Yorke played a big part in leading Sydney FC to win the first-ever A-League Grand Final in 2006. He set up the only goal in the game. He was also given the Joe Marston Medal as the best player in the final. Yorke was a huge star for the A-League. His fame helped promote the league in its early years.
Finishing at Sunderland
On August 31, 2006, Yorke transferred to Sunderland. This move reunited him with his former Manchester United teammate, Roy Keane, who was Sunderland's manager. Yorke often played as a defensive midfielder for Sunderland. He scored his first goal for the club in a 2-1 loss against Stoke.
He signed a new one-year contract to stay with Sunderland for the 2008–09 season. After Keane left, Yorke became an assistant to the new manager, Ricky Sbragia. Yorke was released from Sunderland at the end of the 2008–09 season. He officially retired from playing football in September 2009.
International Career for Trinidad and Tobago
Dwight Yorke played 72 times for the Trinidad and Tobago national team. He scored 19 goals for his country. He was part of the "Strike Squad" in 1989. This team almost qualified for the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
He briefly retired from international football in 2001. However, he returned for the 2006 World Cup qualification campaign. His return helped the team qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time ever. They won against Bahrain to secure their spot.
Yorke was the captain for all of Trinidad and Tobago's games at the 2006 World Cup. He was named "man of the match" in their 0-0 draw against Sweden. He was considered one of the best defensive midfielders in the early stages of the World Cup.
He announced his retirement from international football again in March 2007. But he made a special return for a friendly match against England in June 2008. He then officially returned to the national team for the 2010 World Cup qualification campaign. On October 15, 2008, he scored a crucial goal against the United States. This helped Trinidad and Tobago win 2-1.
Coaching Career
Early Coaching Steps
After retiring from playing, Yorke showed interest in becoming a coach. He completed his Level B coaching badge. In 2010, he said he would love to coach his former club, Aston Villa. He also worked as a football pundit for Sky Sports.
In May 2022, Yorke managed the A-Leagues All Stars team. They played against the famous Spanish club FC Barcelona. The All Stars team lost 3-2.
Managing Macarthur FC
On July 1, 2022, Dwight Yorke became the new manager of A-League Men side Macarthur FC in Australia. Just three months later, he led the club to win its first trophy. They won the Australia Cup in 2022. Yorke left Macarthur FC in January 2023.
Coaching Trinidad and Tobago
On November 1, 2024, Yorke became the new manager of the Trinidad and Tobago national team. He took over from Angus Eve.
Personal Life and Achievements
Dwight Yorke grew up as a fan of Tottenham Hotspur. His first football jersey was a white Tottenham Hotspur shirt.
The Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago, is named in his honor. It was built for the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship. Yorke is also a big fan of cricket. One of his closest friends is the famous cricketer Brian Lara.
As a member of the 2006 World Cup squad, Yorke received the Chaconia Medal (Gold Class). This is the second highest award given by the country of Trinidad and Tobago. He was also made a Sports Ambassador for his country. Yorke released his autobiography, called Born to Score, in 2009.
Honours and Awards
Player Honours
Aston Villa
- Football League Cup: 1995–96
Manchester United
- Premier League: 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01
- FA Cup: 1998–99
- UEFA Champions League: 1998–99
- Intercontinental Cup: 1999
Sydney FC
- A-League: 2005–06
Sunderland
- Football League Championship: 2006–07
Trinidad and Tobago
- Caribbean Cup: 1989
Individual Awards
- Premier League Player of the Month: February 1996, January 1999, March 2000
- PFA Team of the Year: 1998–99 Premier League
- Premier League Player of the Season: 1998–99
- Premier League Golden Boot: 1998–99
- UEFA Champions League top scorer: 1998–99
- Joe Marston Medal: 2005–06
- Sydney FC Hall of Fame: 2015
- Hummingbird Medal Silver: 1992
- Chaconia Medal Gold: 1999
Manager Honours
Macarthur FC
- Australia Cup: 2022
See also
In Spanish: Dwight Yorke para niños
