Darren Powell

Darren David Powell (born 10 March 1976) is an English footballer manager and former professional footballer who played as a centre-back, He is the U21s head coach at Crystal Palace.

During his playing career, he appeared over 250 times in the Football League and Premier League.

Powell was known as "a tough-tackling centre-back".

Following his retirement, Powell moved to coaching and managing Hampton & Richmond Borough before taking over as an academy coach for Crystal Palace.

Powell began his career with Hampton, where he quickly established himself in the starting eleven for the side.

His performance attracted interests from Stevenage and Hayes before he joined Brentford for £15,000.

Powell made his debut for Brentford, where he played the whole game, in a 3–0 win over Mansfield Town.

He started well for the side at the beginning of the season, winning five out of the six matches by the end of August, including scoring his first goal for the side, in a 2–1 win over Rochdale.

He was later in the squad for Brentford when he helped the club win the Division Two by four points.

At the end of the 1998–99 season, Powell had made 37 appearances, scoring twice in all competitions.

For his performances, he was named the club's Player of the Year.

In the 1999–2000 season, Powell continued to be a first team regular.

He then scored his first goal for the club, in a 2–0 win over Luton Town on 16 September 1999.

A month later, on 16 October 1999, Powell scored again, in a 2–0 win over Oxford United.

He spent the rest of the 1999–00 season, as a first team regular and went on to make 43 appearances, scoring three times in all competitions.

However, in the 2000–01 season, Powell suffered a hamstring injury that saw him sidelined until January.

At the end of the 2000–01 season, he had made 22 appearances, scoring once in all competitions.

On his return from injury, he was sent–off on his first appearance on 13 January 2001, in a 0–0 draw against Bristol Rovers.

After returning, he regained his first team place for the side.

On 21 March 2001, Powell was sent–off for the second time that season, in a 2–1 win over Southend United, which saw Brentford go through to the LDV Final following a 4–2 on aggregate.

This was followed up by scoring his first goal of the season, in a 1–0 win over Wrexham on 31 March 2001.

However, in the Football League Trophy Final against Port Vale, Powell played the whole game, in a 2–1 loss.

In the 2001–02 season, Powell retained his first team place for the side despite being linked with a move away from the club.

On 18 September 2001, he scored his first goal of the season, in a 2–2 draw against Bristol Rovers.

Powell then captained Brentford for the first time in his career following the absence of Paul Evans, as the club lost 1–0 against Northampton Town.

At the end of the 2001–02 season, Powell had made 48 appearances, scoring twice in all competitions.

During his time at Brentford, Powell made 150 appearances and scored eight times in all competitions.

During a 0–0 draw against Chesterfield on 12 March 2002, he tore his hamstring early in the first half and was substituted as a result.

Powell returned to the first team on 6 April 2002, in a 3–0 win over Huddersfield Town.

On 1 May 2002, he scored his second goal of the season, in a 2–1 win over Huddersfield Town to help Brentford reach the Second Division play-off final at the Millennium Stadium, where they lost 2–0 to Stoke City.

In the summer transfer window of 2002, it was expected that Powell would stay at Brentford for the 2002–03 season.

However, in August, he signed for Crystal Palace for £400,000, having previously been targeted by Manager Trevor Francis.

Powell made his Crystal Palace debut in the opening game of the season against Preston North End, starting and scoring the first goal, in a 2–1 win.

From the start of the season, he established himself in the starting eleven.

On 10 September 2002, Powell scored again in the first round of the League Cup, in a 2–1 win over Plymouth Argyle.

Despite being sidelined on numerous occasions during the 2002–03 season, Powell went on to make 46 appearances, scoring twice in all competitions.

In the 2003–04 season, Powell was initially an integral part of the team, but was subsequently plagued with injuries.

Powell was also suspended when he received a second bookable offence, in a 1–1 draw against Derby County on 14 October 2003.

While on the sidelines, Powell was close to joining Palace's Division One rivals, Reading, but the transfer move broke down, citing a failed medical, as well as, manager Iain Dowie's desire to keep him.

After seven months away from the first team, he returned to training.