# Darren Moore
**Darren Moore** (Darren Mark Moore, born 1974) is an English professional football manager and former player who played as a center-back and is currently head coach of the England men's under-20 national team. A Birmingham-born defender capped by Jamaica, he made almost 600 professional appearances before a coaching career that has included management of West Bromwich Albion, Doncaster Rovers, Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield Town, and Port Vale, with promotions at Sheffield Wednesday and Port Vale.[1](https://learn.englandfootball.com/sitecore/content/EnglandFootball/Home/articles/2026/Sep/08/darren-moore-appointed-as-england-mens-under-20-head-coach-20260809)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1974, Birmingham, England; Jamaican citizenship[2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/darren-moore/stationen/trainer/59847) |
| Playing career | Almost 600 professional games as a defender for Torquay United, Doncaster Rovers, Bradford City, Portsmouth, West Bromwich Albion, Derby County, Barnsley, and Burton Albion; capped by Jamaica[1](https://learn.englandfootball.com/sitecore/content/EnglandFootball/Home/articles/2026/Sep/08/darren-moore-appointed-as-england-mens-under-20-head-coach-20260809) • [3](https://www.fotmob.com/players/24660/darren-moore) |
| Current role | England men's under-20 head coach, appointed September 2026 for the 2026-27 season[1](https://learn.englandfootball.com/sitecore/content/EnglandFootball/Home/articles/2026/Sep/08/darren-moore-appointed-as-england-mens-under-20-head-coach-20260809) |
| Promotions | Sheffield Wednesday to the EFL Championship in 2023; Port Vale to EFL League One in 2025[1](https://learn.englandfootball.com/sitecore/content/EnglandFootball/Home/articles/2026/Sep/08/darren-moore-appointed-as-england-mens-under-20-head-coach-20260809) |
| Managerial record | 378 matches, 166 wins, 94 draws, 118 losses, 1.57 points per match (Sofascore); 391 matches at a 42.71% win rate (FootyStats)[4](https://www.sofascore.com/football/manager/darren-moore/790175) • [5](https://footystats.org/managers/england/darren-moore) |
| Preferred formation | 4-2-3-1[4](https://www.sofascore.com/football/manager/darren-moore/790175) |
## Playing career
Moore's club career as a center-back ran from Torquay United, where he began in 1992, through Doncaster Rovers, Bradford City, Portsmouth, West Bromwich Albion, Derby County, Barnsley, and Burton Albion, retiring in 2012.[1](https://learn.englandfootball.com/sitecore/content/EnglandFootball/Home/articles/2026/Sep/08/darren-moore-appointed-as-england-mens-under-20-head-coach-20260809) • [3](https://www.fotmob.com/players/24660/darren-moore) He was capped at international level by Jamaica.[1](https://learn.englandfootball.com/sitecore/content/EnglandFootball/Home/articles/2026/Sep/08/darren-moore-appointed-as-england-mens-under-20-head-coach-20260809) His Derby spell fell in the club's [2007-08 Premier League](https://www.edgepedia.org/2007-08-premier-league) season, the campaign in which Derby won a single league match; Moore later recalled Aston Villa's 6-0 win at Pride Park that season, saying at half-time [Gareth Barry](https://www.edgepedia.org/gareth-barry) asked him, "Darren, how are we 3-0 up?"[6](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/derby-county-200708-worst-premier-league-season-ever)
## Managerial career
**West Bromwich Albion.** Moore's coaching career began in West Brom's academy teams, and he moved into senior football as a first-team coach at the Hawthorns, serving as assistant manager under [Alan Pardew](https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-pardew) from December 2017.[1](https://learn.englandfootball.com/sitecore/content/EnglandFootball/Home/articles/2026/Sep/08/darren-moore-appointed-as-england-mens-under-20-head-coach-20260809) • [2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/darren-moore/stationen/trainer/59847) When West Brom parted company with Pardew in April 2018, Moore took over as caretaker manager while the club was in the Premier League, and a successful caretaker spell led to his appointment as permanent manager in 2018.[7](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68282297) • [1](https://learn.englandfootball.com/sitecore/content/EnglandFootball/Home/articles/2026/Sep/08/darren-moore-appointed-as-england-mens-under-20-head-coach-20260809) His tenure ran from 2 April 2018 to 9 March 2019, 48 matches at 1.71 points per match.[2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/darren-moore/stationen/trainer/59847)
**Doncaster Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday.** At Wednesday he spent just over two years, 129 matches at 1.78 points per match, his best points return at any club.[2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/darren-moore/stationen/trainer/59847) The 2022-23 season ended with promotion to the [EFL Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/efl-championship) via the play-offs, sealed at Wembley in 2023.[1](https://learn.englandfootball.com/sitecore/content/EnglandFootball/Home/articles/2026/Sep/08/darren-moore-appointed-as-england-mens-under-20-head-coach-20260809)
**Huddersfield Town.** On 21 September 2023 Moore was appointed manager of Huddersfield Town, succeeding [Neil Warnock](https://www.edgepedia.org/neil-warnock), after chief executive Jake Edwards called him the "standout candidate" of an extensive recruitment process.[8](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68119678) The spell lasted barely four months: with three wins in 23 league games, the club sacked him on 29 January 2024, saying the appointment had "not worked as we envisaged and hoped".[8](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68119678) • [2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/darren-moore/stationen/trainer/59847)
**Port Vale.** Fifteen days after his sacking, Moore returned to management for a fifth time, appointed Port Vale manager on 13 February 2024 on a contract running to 30 June 2029.[7](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68282297) • [2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/darren-moore/stationen/trainer/59847) Vale director of football David Flitcroft described him as the club's "primary target to come in and galvanise and energise the club".[7](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68282297) The 2024-25 season brought promotion to [EFL League One](https://www.edgepedia.org/efl-league-one).[1](https://learn.englandfootball.com/sitecore/content/EnglandFootball/Home/articles/2026/Sep/08/darren-moore-appointed-as-england-mens-under-20-head-coach-20260809) His overall Vale record across 100 matches was 36 wins, 27 draws, and 37 defeats, a 36% win rate.[9](https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2026/07/port-vales-last-five-managers-how-they-have-fared/)
## England under-20s
In September 2026 Moore was appointed as a national coach and took charge of the England men's under-20 team ahead of the 2026-27 season, his first role in international football as a coach.[1](https://learn.englandfootball.com/sitecore/content/EnglandFootball/Home/articles/2026/Sep/08/darren-moore-appointed-as-england-mens-under-20-head-coach-20260809) His first fixtures were U20 Euro Elite League games against Italy, France, and Germany in the September and October international window.[1](https://learn.englandfootball.com/sitecore/content/EnglandFootball/Home/articles/2026/Sep/08/darren-moore-appointed-as-england-mens-under-20-head-coach-20260809) Moore said he saw the role as a natural fit after developing young players throughout his coaching career, and emphasized building an environment where talented young players progress individually while forming a strong collective.[1](https://learn.englandfootball.com/sitecore/content/EnglandFootball/Home/articles/2026/Sep/08/darren-moore-appointed-as-england-mens-under-20-head-coach-20260809)
## Managerial record
Across his five club jobs, statistics services give slightly different totals: Sofascore records 378 matches with 166 wins, 94 draws, and 118 losses, an average of 1.57 points per match, while FootyStats records 391 matches with 167 wins, a 42.71% career win rate.[4](https://www.sofascore.com/football/manager/darren-moore/790175) • [5](https://footystats.org/managers/england/darren-moore) By club, his points-per-match returns were 1.71 at West Bromwich Albion, 1.56 at Doncaster Rovers, 1.78 at Sheffield Wednesday, 0.87 at Huddersfield Town, and 1.38 at Port Vale.[4](https://www.sofascore.com/football/manager/darren-moore/790175)
## References
1. [Darren Moore appointed as an England national coach, England Football Learning, 8 September 2026](https://learn.englandfootball.com/sitecore/content/EnglandFootball/Home/articles/2026/Sep/08/darren-moore-appointed-as-england-mens-under-20-head-coach-20260809)
2. [Darren Moore - History, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/darren-moore/stationen/trainer/59847)
3. [Darren Moore - stats and career, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/players/24660/darren-moore)
4. [Darren Moore manager profile, Sofascore](https://www.sofascore.com/football/manager/darren-moore/790175)
5. [Darren Moore Manager Stats, FootyStats](https://footystats.org/managers/england/darren-moore)
6. [Derby County's shocking 2007/08 revisited, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/derby-county-200708-worst-premier-league-season-ever)
7. [Darren Moore: Port Vale appoint ex-WBA, Doncaster, Huddersfield & Sheff Wed boss, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68282297)
8. [Darren Moore: Huddersfield Town sack boss after three wins in 23 games, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68119678)
9. [Port Vale's last five managers - how they have fared, onevalefan](https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2026/07/port-vales-last-five-managers-how-they-have-fared/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Managers and coaches › English managers and coaches*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license