Darren Eadie
Encyclopedia
Darren Malcolm Eadie is a former professional footballer, who made his name as a pacey left-sided midfielder with Norwich City
. He later played for Leicester City
.
match against Vitesse Arnhem
at Carrow Road
on 15 September 1993, Norwich's first ever match in European competition. Three days later, he scored on his league debut in a 2–2 draw at Queens Park Rangers
. Eadie would go on to score three goals in 20 appearances during his debut season. He continued to establish himself as a first team regular the following season, but that 1994–95 season was calamitous for Norwich who slumped in the second half of the season and were relegated from the Premier League. The following season, Eadie scored six goals in 39 appearances.
In the 1996–97 season, Eadie was the club's leading scorer with 17 league goals and he was voted Norwich City player of the year by a landslide and the leagues Player of the year. His outstanding form was recognised by England
manager Glenn Hoddle
who, in the summer of 1997, selected Eadie for his England squad to play in the Tournoi de France
. However, on the brink of his debut against Brazil
, injury forced Eadie to withdraw from the squad. He would later have to withdraw from another England squad through injury and he never won an England cap. His next two seasons were also frequently interrupted by injury. He missed the second half of the 1998–99 campaign and when 1999–2000 began, he was still injured. He made an unexpected return from the substitute's bench against Crewe Alexandra
on 11 September 1999 and scored a goal to give Norwich a 2–1 win. It was the start of a good run of form that would see the club come close to breaking into the play-off positions. In December of that season, Eadie was transferred to Leicester City
for a fee of £
3,500,000.
Eadie was featured as one of "The Boys A Bit Special" in the first issue of FourFourTwo
magazine.
had briefly been Eadie's manager at Carrow Road during his spell as Norwich boss in 1995. At the time he signed Eadie he stated that he was a player that he had tried to sign on previous occasions. At the time, the £3,000,000 fee was the highest that Leicester had ever paid for a player. Eadie's injury problems did not relent, however, and in his three-and-a-half years at Leicester he was limited to just 40 appearances. When his contract expired in the summer of 2003, Eadie was forced to retire as there was no prospect of him recovering fully from his injuries.
since retiring. He now currently resides in Blofield
Heath, Norfolk
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
. He later played for Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
.
Norwich City
Eadie was a product of Norwich City's youth system and broke into the first team during one of the most successful periods in the club's history. His debut was as a substitute in a UEFA CupUEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
match against Vitesse Arnhem
Vitesse Arnhem
Stichting Betaald Voetbal Vitesse is a Dutch football club from Arnhem, which was founded on 14 May 1892. Vitesse has had considerable success in the Eredivisie, and featured in the UEFA Cup competition, but has never been considered a close competitor of the top three clubs of Netherlands...
at Carrow Road
Carrow Road
Carrow Road is a football stadium in Norwich, England, and is the home of Norwich City Football Club. The stadium is located toward the easterly end of the city, not far from Norwich railway station and the River Wensum....
on 15 September 1993, Norwich's first ever match in European competition. Three days later, he scored on his league debut in a 2–2 draw at Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
. Eadie would go on to score three goals in 20 appearances during his debut season. He continued to establish himself as a first team regular the following season, but that 1994–95 season was calamitous for Norwich who slumped in the second half of the season and were relegated from the Premier League. The following season, Eadie scored six goals in 39 appearances.
In the 1996–97 season, Eadie was the club's leading scorer with 17 league goals and he was voted Norwich City player of the year by a landslide and the leagues Player of the year. His outstanding form was recognised by England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
manager Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle is an English former footballer and manager who played as an attacking midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, AS Monaco, Chelsea and Swindon Town and at international level for England....
who, in the summer of 1997, selected Eadie for his England squad to play in the Tournoi de France
Tournoi de France
The Tournoi de France was a friendly international football tournament held in Paris and other cities of France in early June of 1997 as a warm-up to the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The four national teams participating at the tournament were Brazil, England, hosts France, and Italy...
. However, on the brink of his debut against Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
, injury forced Eadie to withdraw from the squad. He would later have to withdraw from another England squad through injury and he never won an England cap. His next two seasons were also frequently interrupted by injury. He missed the second half of the 1998–99 campaign and when 1999–2000 began, he was still injured. He made an unexpected return from the substitute's bench against Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
on 11 September 1999 and scored a goal to give Norwich a 2–1 win. It was the start of a good run of form that would see the club come close to breaking into the play-off positions. In December of that season, Eadie was transferred to Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
for a fee of £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
3,500,000.
Eadie was featured as one of "The Boys A Bit Special" in the first issue of FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo is a football magazine published by Haymarket. Published monthly, costing £4.50, and at about 164 pages long, it published its 200th edition in February 2011...
magazine.
Leicester City
Leicester manager Martin O'NeillMartin O'Neill
Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, OBE, is a Northern Irish football manager and former player.Until resigning the post on 9 August 2010, he was manager of Aston Villa. Starting his career in his native Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playing career with Nottingham...
had briefly been Eadie's manager at Carrow Road during his spell as Norwich boss in 1995. At the time he signed Eadie he stated that he was a player that he had tried to sign on previous occasions. At the time, the £3,000,000 fee was the highest that Leicester had ever paid for a player. Eadie's injury problems did not relent, however, and in his three-and-a-half years at Leicester he was limited to just 40 appearances. When his contract expired in the summer of 2003, Eadie was forced to retire as there was no prospect of him recovering fully from his injuries.
Retirement
In 2002 he was voted an inaugural member of the Norwich City Hall of Fame, which was established to celebrate the club's centenary. In an interview for the Norwich City matchday programme on 13 August 2005, Eadie stated that he had found retirement difficult, particularly as many of his friends were still playing professional football. Eadie has done media work for Anglia Television and BBC Radio LeicesterBBC Radio Leicester
BBC Radio Leicester is the BBC Local Radio service for the English counties of Leicestershire and Rutland. The station broadcasts from studios in Leicester on 104.9 FM, on DAB, and via the BBC iPlayer.-History:...
since retiring. He now currently resides in Blofield
Blofield
Blofield is the village and civil parish in the Broadland district of Norfolk, England. The parish includes Blofield and the hamlets of Blofield Heath and Blofield Corner and, according to the 2001 census, had a population of 3,221. It is on the A47, five miles east of Norwich and west of Great...
Heath, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...