Quick Facts
Biography
Julian Timothy Darby (born 3 October 1967, Farnworth, Lancashire) is a current football First Team Coach at Leeds United and a former English professional footballer who played as a defender and Midfielder from 1986 until 2001, notably in the Premier League for Coventry City.
He also played for Bolton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion, Preston North End, Rotherham United and Carlisle United. During his coaching career he has coached at Nottingham Forest, Derby County, Bolton Wanderers and Preston North End.
Playing career
He played for Bolton Wanderers from 1986 to 1993, scoring 36 goals in 270 league appearances. He scored in the 1989 Associate Members Cup final, with Bolton beating Torquay United 4–1 at Wembley Stadium, in a side captained by future Derby boss Phil Brown. He subsequently joined Coventry City in 1993 but after 50+ games for them was transferred to West Bromwich Albion on 16 November 1995, making his debut for them shortly afterwards against Sunderland. In 1997 he moved to Preston North End, and following a loan spell at Rotherham United he transferred to Carlisle United in 2000 before retiring as a player in 2001.
Coaching career
Preston
He started his coaching career at Preston and became first-team coach. He joined Billy Davies as first-team coach at Derby County in 2006.
Nottingham Forest
In January 2009 he again joined up with Billy Davies when he was appointed first team coach at Nottingham Forest. He left in June 2011 following the departure of Billy Davies from the club and the appointment of his successor Steve McLaren.
Bolton
In 2012 he returned to Bolton as U16 coach at the club's youth academy he assisted Jimmy Phillips during his brief stint as Caretaker Manager following Owen Coyle's sacking in October 2012.
Nottingham Forest (second spell)
On 7 February 2013, he returned to Nottingham Forest as first team coach to Billy Davies. Darby left the club after Fawaz Al-Hasawi brought an end to Davies' reign as Manager at the club on 24 March 2014. On 20 November 2014, Darby settled with Forest out of court over an unpaid bonus case.
Leeds United
On 2 July 2015, it was announced that Darby had joined Uwe Rosler's backroom staff at Leeds United as first team coach.
Personal life
Frank Worthington scored a famous goal for Bolton Wanderers against Ipswich Town on 21 April 1979 which won Goal of the Season. When the game was initially shown on the Granada TV programme Kick Off a ball boy was seen celebrating behind goal. Years later, Darby stated on another Granada programme, The Rock & Goal Years, that the ball boy was him. However, Julian was actually the ball boy at the corner flag - the ball boy on TV was Simon Maddrell.
Honours
Player
- Bolton Wanderers: Football League Trophy 1988-89