Darren Patterson

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Darren Patterson

Darren Patterson at an Open Day in 2006
Personal information
Full name Darren Patterson
Date of birth 15 October 1969 (1969-10-15) (age 38)
Place of birth    Belfast, Northern Ireland
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Playing position Defender
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1988–1989
1989–1992
1992–1995
1995–1998
1996
1998–2000
2000–2001
2001–2002		 West Bromwich Albion
Wigan Athletic
Crystal Palace
Luton Town
→ Preston North End (loan)
Dundee United
York City
Oxford United		 00 (0)
97 (6)
22 (1)
57 (0)
02 (0)
30 (0)
06 (0)
20 (1)   
National team
1994–1999 Northern Ireland 17 (1)
Teams managed
2007– Oxford United

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.
* Appearances (Goals)
This article is about the real-life Darren Patterson. For information about the character, see Darren Patterson (character).

Darren Patterson (born 15 October 1969 in Belfast) is a Northern Irish former footballer who is currently the manager of Oxford United. As a player he was primarily a central defender who could also play at full back or as a defensive midfielder.

Patterson began his playing career with West Bromwich Albion around the time of their relegation from the First Division in 1986, but failed to make a first-team appearance and was signed by Bryan Hamilton for Wigan Athletic early in the 1989–90 season.

Patterson proved a success in defence for Wigan, making 57 Third Division appearances and scored five goals before being transferred to Crystal Palace at the end of the 1991–92 season. Patterson enjoyed a longer spell at Palace and played for the club in the FA Premier League before joining Luton Town in a £230,000 deal in August 1995. During his time at Selhurst Park, he had seen Palace relegated from the inaugural Premier League in 1992–93, promoted back as Division One champions in 1993–94, and relegated back in 1994–95 at the end of a dramatic season in which Palace also reached the semi-finals of both major domestic cup competitions. He was sent off in the FA Cup semi-final for fighting with Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane.

He made 66 appearances for Luton (and also had a loan spell at Preston North End) before leaving on a Bosman ruling free transfer in the Summer of 1998 to join Dundee United. At Kenilworth Road he endured the disappointment of relegation from Division One in his first season and playoff defeat in Division Two during his second.

He returned south of the border in December 2000 when he signed for Division Three strugglers York City. 14 months later he signed for his final club Oxford United.[1]

After his move to Crystal Palace, Patterson made his debut for the Northern Ireland national team. He went on to win 17 caps whilst at Palace, Luton and Dundee United.[2]

After retiring from the game Patterson remained at Oxford as youth team coach. He served as caretaker manager of the club following the departure of Graham Rix, although he was ultimately overlooked for the job in favour of Ramón Díaz.[3] He was finally appointed manager of the club on a full-time basis in March 2006 following the departure of Brian Talbot. However, no sooner had Patterson been appointed than he lost the job to Jim Smith following the sale of the club by Firoz Kassam to Nick Merry.[4] Patterson managed the club for only eight days, and in doing so became perhaps the shortest-serving manager in the history of the English league. While Bill Lambton and Tim Ward both had periods in charge of a club that lasted three and seven days respectively, but neither man actually signed a contract to manage the club, whereas Patterson did.[5] Leroy Rosenior later managed an even shorter stint at Torquay United in 2007, being fired only 10 minutes after signing his contract, but Torquay were no longer a League club by that point.

In December 2006, Patterson was offered the vacant manager's job at Brentford F.C.; however, caretaker manager Scott Fitzgerald was appointed on a permanent basis after Patterson declined their terms.[6]

After becoming first team coach in April 2007, he was appointed Oxford United's manager on 9 November 2007 after Jim Smith resigned.[7]


[edit] References

  1. ^ Career stats
  2. ^ Profile
  3. ^ Managerial stats
  4. ^ 'Patterson targets return to winning ways'
  5. ^ Football: Stress forces Coppell to quit City job | Independent, The (London) | Find Articles at BNET.com
  6. ^ 'You'll get team to be proud of'
  7. ^ 'Smith steps down as Oxford boss' form bbc.co.uk

[edit] External links


v • d • e
Oxford United F.C. – current squad

1 Turley • 4 Quinn • 5 Willmott • 8 Hutchinson • 10 Odubade • 16 Foster • 18 Trainer • 19 Ledgister • 20 Jeannin • 21 Day • 23 Murray • 29 Taylor • 37 Fisher • 38 Benjamin • 41 Clarke • Manager: Patterson
v • d • e
Oxford United F.C. – Managers

Thompson (1949–58) • Turner (1959–69) • Saunders (1969) • Summers (1969–75) • Brown (1975–79) • Asprey (1979–80) • Greaves (1980–82) • J. Smith (1982–85) • Evans (1985–88) • Lawrenson (1988) • Horton (1988–93) • D. Smith (1993–97) • Shotton (1998–99) • D. Smith (2000) • Kemp (2000–01) • Wright (2001) • Atkins (2001–04) • Rix (2004) • Díaz (2004–05) • Talbot (2005–06) • J. Smith (2006–07) • Patterson (2007–)