Darren Rogers
Encyclopedia
Darren J. Rogers is an English
former professional footballer who played 91 games in the Football League
representing West Bromwich Albion
, Birmingham City
, Wycombe Wanderers
and Walsall
. He played as a defender
.
. When he left school in 1986 he joined West Bromwich Albion
as a YTS
trainee, and signed professional forms two years later. Rogers played 14 Second Division
games for the club before joining local rivals Birmingham City
, newly promoted
to that level, on a free transfer in July 1992. Described as "fast and mobile with a good, strong tackle", Rogers went straight into the starting eleven and played in the first 11 games of the 1992–93 season before dropping out of regular first-team football. Either side of an unsuccessful trial at Lincoln City
, he had loan spells at Kidderminster Harriers
of the Conference
and Wycombe Wanderers
of Division Three
, for whom he made only one substitute
appearance, before joining Walsall
in July 1994. He played 26 games in all competitions for Birmingham.
Rogers contributed to Walsall's promotion to Division Two
in his first season with the club, but a cruciate ligament
injury restricted his league appearances to 58 in three-and-a-bit seasons. An October 1977 move to the Conference with Stevenage Borough
ended in his early release after he suffered another injury soon after joining. He went on play for Evesham United
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former professional footballer who played 91 games in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
representing West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
, Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
and Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
. He played as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
.
Career
Rogers was born in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. When he left school in 1986 he joined West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
as a YTS
Youth Training Scheme
The Youth Training Scheme was the former name in the United Kingdom of an on-the-job training course for school leavers aged 16 and 17, managed by the Manpower Services Commission...
trainee, and signed professional forms two years later. Rogers played 14 Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
games for the club before joining local rivals Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, newly promoted
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to that level, on a free transfer in July 1992. Described as "fast and mobile with a good, strong tackle", Rogers went straight into the starting eleven and played in the first 11 games of the 1992–93 season before dropping out of regular first-team football. Either side of an unsuccessful trial at Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
, he had loan spells at Kidderminster Harriers
Kidderminster Harriers F.C.
Kidderminster Harriers F.C. are an English football club based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire formed in 1886 They currently play in the Conference National and have played at Aggborough Stadium since they were formed...
of the Conference
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
and Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
of Division Three
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
, for whom he made only one substitute
Substitute (football)
In association football, a substitute is a player who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for an existing player. Substitutions are generally made to replace a player who has become tired or injured, or who is not performing well; there may also be tactical reasons such as...
appearance, before joining Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
in July 1994. He played 26 games in all competitions for Birmingham.
Rogers contributed to Walsall's promotion to Division Two
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
in his first season with the club, but a cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligaments are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee...
injury restricted his league appearances to 58 in three-and-a-bit seasons. An October 1977 move to the Conference with Stevenage Borough
Stevenage Borough F.C.
Stevenage Football Club is an English football club based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The club currently participate in League One, the third tier of English football, having won promotion from League Two in the 2010–11 season...
ended in his early release after he suffered another injury soon after joining. He went on play for Evesham United
Evesham United F.C.
Evesham United F.C. are an English football club based in Evesham, Worcestershire. They reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for the first time in the 2008-2009 season. In 2005, they entered the Southern League Premier Division for the first time in their history but were relegated after...
.