Stephen Darby facts for kids
Darby in 2022
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Stephen Mark Darby | ||
| Date of birth | 6 October 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Right-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2008 | Liverpool | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2012 | Liverpool | 1 | (0) |
| 2010 | → Swindon Town (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | → Notts County (loan) | 22 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | → Rochdale (loan) | 35 | (0) |
| 2012–2017 | Bradford City | 194 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Bolton Wanderers | 3 | (0) |
| Total | 267 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 2007–2008 | England U19 | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Stephen Mark Darby, born on October 6, 1988, is an English former professional footballer. He played as a right-back, a defensive position on the right side of the field. Stephen also represented England at the under-19 level.
He started his football journey with Liverpool's youth team, winning the FA Youth Cup twice. From 2008 to 2012, he played for the main Liverpool team. Later, he joined Bradford City, where he played over 200 games and was even the team captain for two seasons. Stephen had to retire from football at age 29 after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease, a serious health condition.
Contents
Early Life and School
Stephen Darby grew up in Maghull, a town in Merseyside, England. He went to St. John Bosco Catholic Primary School and then to Maricourt Roman Catholic High School.
Stephen's Football Journey
Playing for Liverpool
Stephen Darby was part of the Liverpool youth teams that won the FA Youth Cup in 2006 and 2007. These teams beat youth academies from Manchester City and Manchester United in the finals. Stephen was the captain in the 2006 final.
In December 2006, he was first chosen for the Liverpool senior team. He traveled with them for a UEFA Champions League match against Galatasaray in Turkey. Even after a long flight back, he went straight to another game and helped his youth team win.
During the 2007–08 season, Stephen was the captain of Liverpool's reserve team. They won both the northern and national championships that year. His coach, Gary Ablett, praised him for being very consistent in his play.
Stephen made his first official appearance for Liverpool in November 2008. This was in a League Cup game against Tottenham Hotspur. He then made his Champions League debut in December 2008 against PSV Eindhoven.
In July 2009, Stephen signed a new three-year contract with Liverpool. He made his first full start for the team in another Champions League match in December 2009. Later, he also started in an FA Cup game against Reading, where his performance was praised by famous Liverpool player Jamie Carragher.
Stephen made his Premier League debut in January 2010, coming on as a substitute against Tottenham Hotspur. He was part of Liverpool's main squad for the 2010–11 Premier League season. He left the club at the end of the 2011–12 season.
Loan Spells: Swindon, Notts County, and Rochdale
In March 2010, Stephen joined Swindon Town on loan. He played his first game for them on March 13, 2010, and helped them reach the play-off semi-final. He even scored the winning penalty in a shootout!
Later, in November 2010, Stephen went on loan to Notts County. He played several games for them, including an FA Cup match. He was even named "Man of the Match" in a game against his former loan club, Swindon. He returned to Liverpool in January 2011 but rejoined Notts County for the rest of that season.
In July 2011, Stephen joined Rochdale on a season-long loan. He played his first game for them in August 2011. He was a popular player with the fans and made 40 appearances for Rochdale during his time there.
Playing for Bradford City
On July 4, 2012, Stephen Darby signed a two-year contract with Bradford City. He made his debut in a League Cup win against Notts County. A week later, he played his first league game.
Stephen scored the only goal of his professional career in a League Cup match against Burton Albion. Bradford City had an amazing run in that competition, beating big Premier League teams like Wigan Athletic, Arsenal, and Aston Villa to reach the final.
In May 2014, Stephen won seven awards at Bradford City's end-of-season dinner. He became the club captain in June 2014 and signed a new three-year contract. For the 2016–17 season, he was replaced as captain by Romain Vincelot. In May 2017, it was announced that Stephen would leave Bradford City when his contract ended.
Bolton Wanderers and Retirement
On July 7, 2017, Stephen signed a two-year contract with Bolton Wanderers. He joined his former manager, Phil Parkinson, there.
Sadly, on September 18, 2018, Stephen Darby announced his retirement from professional football. He was only 29 years old. He had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease, which is a very serious condition.
Stephen's Life Off the Field
Stephen Darby is married to Steph Houghton, who was the captain of Manchester City Women and the England women's national team. They got married on June 21, 2018.
Stephen started the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation. This foundation helps families affected by motor neurone disease and supports research to find a cure. In July 2019, two of his old clubs, Liverpool and Bradford City, held a special fundraising match to support the foundation.
In November 2021, Bolton Wanderers also played a fundraising match to help raise money for the mother of a Bolton player, Gethin Jones, who also had motor neurone disease. A part of the money raised went to Stephen's charity.
In 2023, Stephen, along with another former footballer named Marcus Stewart who also has motor neurone disease, completed a 178-mile charity walk. They walked from Anfield (Liverpool's stadium) to Valley Parade (Bradford City's stadium). This walk raised £130,000 to help people with motor neurone disease. Famous football players like Jamie Redknapp and Paul Scholes joined parts of the march.
Playing for England
Stephen Darby was part of England's squad for the UEFA European U19 Championship qualifications in May 2007. He played in two matches alongside his Liverpool teammates.
Honours and Awards
Liverpool Youth
- FA Youth Cup: 2005–06, 2006–07
Bradford City
- Football League Two play-offs: 2013 (promoted to League One)
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2012–13 (reached the final)
Individual Awards
- Bradford City Player of the Year: 2013–14
See also
In Spanish: Stephen Darby para niños
