 Wassall in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Darren Paul James Wassall[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1968-06-27)27 June 1968 (age 57)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Edgbaston, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Nottingham Forest | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1986–1992 | Nottingham Forest | 27 | (0) |
| 1987 | →Hereford United (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 1989 | →Bury (loan) | 7 | (1) |
| 1992–1997 | Derby County | 98 | (0) |
| 1996 | →Manchester City (loan) | 15 | (0) |
| 1997 | →Birmingham City (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 1997–2000 | Birmingham City | 17 | (0) |
| 2000–2005 | Burton Albion | 37 | (0) |
| Total | 213 | (1) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2013 | Derby County (caretaker) | ||
| 2016 | Derby County (interim) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Darren Paul James Wassall (born 27 June 1968) is an Englishfootball coach and former player who played as adefender. He was the academy director ofDerby County from 2009 until 2023; he was also the club's head coach on a temporary basis during 2016. He played forNottingham Forest, Derby County,Birmingham City andBurton Albion, and also had loan spells withHereford United,Bury andManchester City, making a total of 177Football League appearances.
Wassall began his career in 1984 atNottingham Forest, where he was a product of the youth system. He failed to win a regular first-team place, although he was a reliable stand-in to the likes ofDes Walker, and was loaned out toHereford United andBury. Despite his limited opportunities, Wassall featured in two finals for Forest, winning a medal in the1992 Full Members Cup 3–2 victory overSouthampton (having scored his one and only Forest goal in the semi-final second leg againstLeicester City at theCity Ground) and playing in the 1–0 defeat in the1992 Football League Cup Final againstManchester United.
He left Forest forDerby County in 1992 in a £600,000 deal after an alleged dressing-room incident with managerBrian Clough.[citation needed] While at Derby, he had loan spells atManchester City andBirmingham City.
Wassall joined Birmingham full-time in 1997 in a £150,000 deal, but he struggled with injuries. After suffering anAchilles tendon injury, he leftthe Football League and played forBurton Albion. During his spell at Burton, Wassall scored in the 4–2 FA Cup defeat to Kidderminster Harriers in November 2000.[3] He retired altogether in 2005.[4]
After retiring as a player, in 2005, Wassall took charge of Burton's youth team.[4]
In 2009, Wassall became academy manager atDerby County underNigel Clough. He has been credited with bringing through a number of players to Derby's first team, such asMark O'Brien,Callum Ball,Jeff Hendrick,Mason Bennett andWill Hughes. In May 2013, Wassall was rewarded for his work, winning the President's Award at the club's awards night.[5]
In September 2013, Clough was sacked by Derby County, and his backroom staff were sent ongardening leave. Wassall remained at the club, continuing his work with the youth academy under the tenure of new head coachSteve McClaren.[6][7] Clough had stated in March 2013: "The academy should almost be ring fenced and whoever comes in next, I hope they have the sense to leave it alone and let it continue working."[8]
After McClaren's successorPaul Clement was sacked in February 2016, Wassall was appointed head coach until the end of the season.[9] He returned to his post of academy director on 27 May 2016, whenNigel Pearson signed a three-year contract to manage Derby County.[10]
Wassall left his role at Derby on 24 May 2023 after 14 years where in his role he oversaw the clubs progressing to a Category 1 Academy under theEPPP with 45 players graduating to appear in first team action, with these players sum total of appearances for the senior team being over 1,200+.[11]
| Team | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||||
| Derby County (caretaker)[12] | 29 September 2013 | 2 October 2013 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 000.00 | |||
| Derby County (interim head coach)[13] | 8 February 2016 | 27 May 2016 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 050.00 | |||
| Total | 19 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 047.37 | |||||
