Darryl Knights

Darryl James Knights (born 1 May 1988) is an English football player and manager, who plays as a striker for Midland League Premier Division club Stourport Swifts.

Darryl Knights

Knights playing for Stourbridge in 2022
Personal information
Full name	Darryl James Knights
Date of birth	(1988-05-01) 1 May 1988 (age 36)
Place of birth	Ipswich, England
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s)	Striker, winger
Team information
Current team	Stourport Swifts
Youth career
	Ipswich Town
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2007	Ipswich Town	1	(0)
2007	→ Yeovil Town (loan)	4	(0)
2007–2008	Yeovil Town	3	(0)
2007	→ Cambridge United (loan)	4	(0)
2008	→ Kidderminster Harriers (loan)	18	(4)
2008–2010	Kidderminster Harriers	78	(5)
2010–2012	Newport County	64	(8)
2012–2016	Solihull Moors	166	(30)
2016–2017	Kidderminster Harriers	15	(1)
2017–2018	Tamworth	41	(10)
2018–2020	AFC Telford United	58	(7)
2020–2024	Stourbridge	83	(6)
2024–	Stourport Swifts	0	(0)
International career
2003–2004	England U16	4	(0)
2004–2005	England U17	7	(0)
Managerial career
2024	Stourbridge
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:38, 16 June 2024 (UTC)

Playing career

Born in Ipswich, Knights was a product of the youth system at Ipswich Town^[1] and played for England at youth and Under-17 level.^[2] He made his debut for the club as a 16-year-old in November 2004 but did not play for the first team again.^[2] After impressing Yeovil Town manager Russell Slade in training, Knights joined the League One side on loan in February 2007 for the remainder of the 2006–07 season.^[2] He made five substitute appearances for Yeovil, including one in the League One play-off final against Blackpool in May 2007. He then joined the club on a one-year contract in July 2007 after being given a free transfer by Ipswich at the end of the season.^[3]

Knights was unable to establish himself in the first team at Yeovil and joined Cambridge United on loan in October 2007.^[4] He returned to Yeovil in December 2007^[5] He then joined Kidderminster Harriers on loan the following month for the rest of the 2007–08 season.^[1] After a successful loan spell at Kidderminster in which he scored four goals, he joined the club on a permanent basis in the summer of 2008.^[6]

In July 2010, Knights signed for Newport County.^[7] He subsequently scored the equaliser in the Welsh derby match between Newport and Wrexham in September 2010. On 12 May 2012, he played for Newport in the FA Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium which Newport lost 2–0 to York City, coming on as a second-half substitute.^[8] Knights was released by Newport the following week at the end of his contract.^[9]

Knights joined Conference North side Solihull Moors on 1 August 2012 following his release from Newport. On 6 December 2016, Knights rejoined Kidderminster Harriers after leaving Solihull Moors.^[10] He remained at the club until the end of the season, making 15 appearances and scoring one goal, before being released. Knights became the first signing of the 2017–18 season for National League North side Tamworth when he joined on 17 May 2017.^[11]

In June 2024, Knights joined Midland League Premier Division side Stourport Swifts.^[12]

Career statistics

As of match played 1 January 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Ipswich Town	2004–05[13]	Championship	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	2005–06[14]	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2006–07[15]	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	Total		1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Yeovil Town (loan)	2006–07[15]	League One	4	0	0	0	0	0	1[lower-alpha 1]	0	5	0
Yeovil Town	2007–08[16]	League One	3	0	0	0	0	0	1[lower-alpha 2]	0	4	0
Cambridge United (loan)	2007–08[16]	Conference Premier	4	0	2	0	—		0	0	6	0
Kidderminster Harriers (loan)	2007–08[16]	Conference Premier	18	4	—		—		1[lower-alpha 3]	0	19	4
Kidderminster Harriers	2008–09	Conference Premier	36	1	2	0	—		1[lower-alpha 3]	0	39	1
	2009–10[17]	Conference Premier	42	4	2	0	—		5[lower-alpha 3]	1	49	5
	Total		78	5	4	0	—		6	1	88	6
Newport County	2010–11[17]	Conference Premier	41	7	1	0	—		3[lower-alpha 3]	0	45	7
	2011–12[17]	Conference Premier	23	1	2	0	—		7[lower-alpha 3]	2	32	3
	Total		64	8	3	0	—		10	2	77	10
Solihull Moors	2012–13[17]	Conference North	37	4	0	0	—		2[lower-alpha 3]	0	39	4
	2013–14[17]	Conference North	33	3	0	0	—		0	0	33	3
	2014–15[17]	Conference North	39	12	0	0	—		1[lower-alpha 3]	0	40	12
	2015–16[17]	National League North	37	11	0	0	—		1[lower-alpha 3]	0	38	11
	2016–17[17]	National League	20	0	3	0	—		0	0	23	0
	Total		166	30	3	0	—		4	0	173	30
Kidderminster Harriers	2016–17[17]	National League North	15	1	—		—		3[lower-alpha 3]	0	18	1
Tamworth	2017–18[17]	National League North	41	10	0	0	—		0	0	41	10
AFC Telford United	2018–19[17]	National League North	39	5	2	0	—		5[lower-alpha 3]	0	46	5
	2019–20[17]	National League North	19	2	1	0	—		1[lower-alpha 3]	0	21	2
	Total		58	7	3	0	—		6	0	67	7
Stourbridge	2020–21[18]	Southern League Premier Division Central	8	1	1	1	—		1[lower-alpha 3]	0	10	2
	2021–22[18]	Southern League Premier Division Central	36	4	1	0	—		11[lower-alpha 4]	0	48	4
	2022–23[18]	Southern League Premier Division Central	32	1	2	0	—		7[lower-alpha 5]	0	41	1
	2023–24[18]	Southern League Premier Division Central	7	0	4	0	—		4[lower-alpha 6]	1	15	1
	Total		83	6	8	1	—		23	1	114	8
Career total			535	71	23	1	0	0	55	4	613	76

1. Appearance in League One play-offs
2. Appearance in Football League Trophy
3. Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
4. Six appearances in FA Trophy, five appearances in Birmingham Senior Cup
5. Two appearances in FA Trophy, five appearances in Birmingham Senior Cup
6. Three appearances and one goal in FA Trophy, one appearance in Birmingham Senior Cup

Honours

Ipswich Town

• FA Youth Cup: 2004–05^[19]

Solihull Moors

• Birmingham Senior Cup: 2015–16

References

1. "Harriers clinch double loan move". BBC Sport. 31 January 2008. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
2. "Yeovil set to sign Ipswich teen". BBC Sport. 22 February 2007. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
3. "Yeovil manager makes Knights move". BBC Sport. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
4. "Walker in, Knights out at Yeovil". BBC Sport. 19 October 2007. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
5. "On-loan Knights leaves Cambridge". BBC Sport. 18 December 2007. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
6. "Three new players in at Harriers". BBC Sport. 27 May 2008. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
7. "County sign striker Knights". South Wales Argus. 16 July 2010.
8. 2012 FA Trophy final
9. Knights released by Newport
10. "Darryl Knights makes Harriers return". Kidderminster Harriers F.C. 6 December 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
11. "Knights Checks In". TheLambs.co.uk. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
12. @StourportSwifts (15 June 2024). "Welcome to Swifts @DarrylJKnights 💛🖤" (Tweet). Retrieved 16 June 2024 – via Twitter.
13. "Games played by Darryl Knights in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
14. "Games played by Darryl Knights in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
15. "Games played by Darryl Knights in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
16. "Games played by Darryl Knights in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
17. "D. Knights: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
18. "Darryl Knights Profile". aylesburyunitedarchive.com. Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
19. "Town Win Youth Cup!". TWTD. 23 April 2005. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

External links

• Darryl Knights at Soccerbase
• Darryl Knights at Soccerway