| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1967-04-02)2 April 1967 (age 57) | ||
| Place of birth | Canterbury, England | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Ashford United (interim assistant manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1982–1983 | Dover | ||
| 1982–1983 | Gillingham | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1983–1984 | Dover Athletic | ||
| 1984 | Gravesend & Northfleet | ||
| 1984–1986 | Dover Athletic | ||
| 1986 | Ashford Town | 5 | (3) |
| 1986 | Thanet United | 3 | (0) |
| 1986–1988 | Ashford Town | 60 | (30) |
| 1988 | Canterbury City | 8 | (3) |
| 1988–1989 | Dover Athletic | ||
| 1989–? | Hastings Town | ||
| c.1994 | Canterbury City | ||
| 1996–? | Folkestone Invicta | ||
| 1997–1998 | Canterbury City | ||
| 2005 | Herne Bay | ||
| 2005 | Sittingbourne | ||
| 2005–? | Herne Bay | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| Canterbury City | |||
| 1996 | Folkestone Invicta | ||
| 2004 | Gillingham (caretaker) | ||
| 2014 | Gillingham (co-caretaker) | ||
| 2016–2017 | Hastings United | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Darren Hare (born 2 April 1967)[1] is an Englishfootball coach and former player, who is interim assistant manager ofAshford United.
Born inCanterbury, he began his career playing for the youth teams ofDover andGillingham and went on to play for a number ofKent-basednon-league teams, includingAshford Town (where he was club leading scorer for two seasons),[2]Thanet United,[1]Canterbury City,Herne Bay andSittingbourne. He also managed Canterbury andFolkestone Invicta, and worked as Youth Development Officer for theKent County Football Association.[1][3]
Hare later became Head of Youth Development for Gillingham.[1] In December 2004 he served as acting manager after the resignation of bothAndy Hessenthaler andcaretaker managerJohn Gorman.[4] The following year he leftPriestfield Stadium to become Head of Education and Welfare in the academy system atCrystal Palace,[5][6] and made a brief playing comeback at the age of 38.[7]
In 2007, he joinedDover Athletic as assistant to Hessenthaler, the club's new manager, who is also his brother-in-law.[3][5] When Hessenthaler began his second period as manager at Gillingham in May 2010, Hare also returned to Priestfield, as youth team manager.[8]
Hare was appointed as manager ofHastings United of theIsthmian League South Division in May 2016.[9] He led the side to the play-offs during his one season in charge, but Hasings were defeated byDorking Wanderers in the semi-finals on penalties following a 1–1 draw.[10] He resigned from the role in May 2017, citing a desire to concentrate on his family and business interests.[11]
In October 2018 he rejoined Dover and Andy Hessenthaler, taking on the position of joint first team coach.[12] In November 2020, Hare resigned from his position for personal reasons.[13]
On 29 November 2022, Hare was appointed first team coach ofIsthmian League South East Division clubFaversham Town to new managerSammy Moore.[14] In March 2024, he joinedAshford United as interim assistant manager until the end of the season.[15] Having departed the club at the end of the2023–24 season, he returned to the club as assistant manager in January 2025.[16]
Hare is married to Alison, a nurse, and has three children,Josh, Chloe and James. Josh is a footballer who as of 2022 plays professionally forDagenham & Redbridge.[17][18]