| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 12 May 1967[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Moss Side, Manchester, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[3] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1980–1984 | Manchester City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1984–1987 | Manchester City | 11 | (0) |
| 1985 | → Bury (loan) | 12 | (5) |
| 1987 | → Port Vale (loan) | 11 | (4) |
| 1987–1991 | Port Vale | 167 | (67) |
| 1991–1993 | Norwich City | 38 | (8) |
| 1993–1996 | Oldham Athletic | 52 | (11) |
| 1996–1997 | Heart of Midlothian | 8 | (0) |
| 1997 | Preston North End | 2 | (0) |
| 1997 | Fulham | 0 | (0) |
| 1997 | Walsall | 8 | (0) |
| 1997 | Rushden & Diamonds | ||
| 1997 | Southport | 0 | (0) |
| 1997 | Total Network Solutions | 4 | (1) |
| 1997–1998 | Bury | 0 | (0) |
| 1998 | Bacup Borough | ||
| Total | 313 | (96) | |
| International career | |||
| 1982 | England Schoolboys | ||
| 1983–1984 | England U17 | 15 | (6) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford (born 12 May 1967) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward. His younger brother Jason also played professional football.
In fourteen years as a professional footballer, he scored 96 goals in 302 league games. Advancing through the Manchester City youth team, he also spent a brief time on loan at Bury before joining Port Vale in 1987. He enjoyed the most successful time of his career at Vale, scoring 68 goals in 167 league games, helping the club to promotion via the play-offs in 1989. After four successive seasons as the club's top scorer, he earned a £925,000 move to Norwich City in 1991. Unable to find the form he hit at Vale Park, he was sold to Oldham Athletic for £300,000 in 1993. Three years later, he moved on to Scottish side Hearts. He later played for Preston North End, Fulham, Walsall, Rushden & Diamonds, Southport, Total Network Solutions, Bury and Bacup Borough.
- ^ Sherwin, Phil (2010). The Port Vale Miscellany. Brimscombe Port: The History Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-7524-5777-2.
- ^ "Flown From the Nest - Darren Beckford". www.ex-canaries.co.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1980). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 230. ISBN 0362020175.