Darren Freeman
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 22 August 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Brighton, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Playing position | Winger, Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| Lewes | |||
| Horsham | |||
| 1994–1995 | Worthing | ||
| 1995–1996 | Gillingham | 12 | (0) |
| 1995–1996 | → Glenavon (loan) | ||
| 1996–1998 | Fulham | 46 | (9) |
| 1998–1999 | Brentford | 22 | (6) |
| 1999–2001 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 54 | (12) |
| 2002–2003 | Margate | ||
| 2003–2004 | Worthing | ||
| 2004 | Three Bridges | ||
| Whitehawk | |||
| Total | 134 | (27) | |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2009–2014 | Whitehawk | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Darren Freeman (born 22 August 1973) is an English football manager. He is a former professional player who played as a winger and striker, making over 130 appearances in the Football League between 1995 and 2001.
Career
Born in Brighton, Freeman played in the Football League with Gillingham, Fulham, Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion, making a total of 134 appearances.[1][2] He retired from professional football in August 2001 due to injury.[3]
He will always be remembered for two feats with the Seagulls – scoring a hat-trick in Albion's first ever competitive match at Withdean Stadium, when they beat Mansfield 6–0, and scoring the first goal of the new millennium when he netted in an early kick-off against Exeter on January 3, 2000.[4]
He returned to non-league football in June 2002 with Margate.[5][6] Freeman also played for Lewes, Horsham, Worthing, Glenavon, Three Bridges and Whitehawk.[1][2][4][7][8] Glenavon attempted to sign Freeman on a permanent basis following a loan spell in which he was described as taking the Irish League "by storm."[9] Freeman was a player-coach at Three Bridges.[10]
He was appointed sole manager of Whitehawk in May 2010,[11] having previously been joint-manager of the club alongside George Parris since May 2009.[4] He was sacked by Whitehawk in January 2014.[12]
Personal life
Freeman has two sons, called Leighton and Stacey, with his partner Lorraine.[3] His father, called Reg, died in August 2009, and was cited as an inspiration to Freeman's career.[13]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Profile". Post War English & Scottish Football League A – Z Player's Database. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Darren Freeman career statistics at Soccerbase
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Tears of a local hero". The Argus. 31 August 2001. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Howard Griggs (26 May 2009). "Freeman joins Parris at Hawks". The Argus. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- ↑ "KINNEAR SIGNS FREEMAN". NonLeagueDaily.com. 21 June 2002. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- ↑ "Freeman plays again". The Argus. 8 July 2002. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- ↑ "Profile". NonLeagueDaily.com. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- ↑ "TWO MORE FOR FREEMAN". NonLeagueDaily.com. 23 February 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- ↑ Gordon Hanna (18 January 1998). "FOOTBALL: DON'T BE SILLY BILLY!; This Pair Are Staying Put, Hamilton Told". The People. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- ↑ "County League: Bridges release coach Freeman". The Argus. 22 October 2004. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- ↑ "FREEMAN TAKES SOLE CHARGE OF HAWKS". NonLeagueDaily.com. 26 May 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- ↑ Howard Griggs (24 January 2014). "Whitehawk part with Freeman". The Argus. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ↑ Howard Griggs (17 October 2009). "Freeman inspired by late father". The Argus. Retrieved 6 July 2013.