Harry Darling
English footballer (born 1999)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Harry Jack Darling (born 8 August 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for EFL Championship club Norwich City.[3]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Harry Jack Darling[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 8 August 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Cambridge, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Norwich City | ||
| Number | 6 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2012 | Cambridge United | ||
| –2015 | Newmarket Town | ||
| 2015–2016 | Cambridge United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2021 | Cambridge United | 55 | (2) |
| 2017 | → Bishop's Stortford (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2017 | → Hampton & Richmond Borough (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2017 | → Royston Town (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2018 | → East Thurrock United (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Milton Keynes Dons | 64 | (7) |
| 2022–2025 | Swansea City | 108 | (12) |
| 2025– | Norwich City | 27 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 02:30, 27 February 2026 (UTC) | |||
Career
Cambridge United
Darling joined Cambridge United at the age of 12, but left a year later. After being spotted again playing for Newmarket Town's youth team, he rejoined the club in 2015. Darling joined the first team for pre-season ahead of the 2016–17 campaign.[citation needed] He signed his first professional contract with the club in October 2016.[4] and on 8 November 2016, he made his debut in a 2–0 EFL Trophy defeat to Scunthorpe United.[5] He signed for Bishop's Stortford on a one-month loan in January 2017.[6]
On 8 August 2017, Darling started in a 4–1 EFL Cup defeat at Bristol Rovers,[7] and extended his contract with the club until 2021 shortly after.[8] Darling joined Hampton & Richmond Borough on a month-long loan on 9 September 2017,[9] and later joined Royston Town on loan in November 2017.[10] He made his full league debut for the club on 13 January 2018 in a 0–0 draw against Mansfield Town.[11] Darling joined East Thurrock United on a one-month loan in March 2018, having made 5 appearances for Cambridge so far in the 2017–18 season.[12]
On 17 August 2019, he scored his first professional goal, an 86th-minute winner against Colchester United.
Milton Keynes Dons
On 22 January 2021, Darling joined EFL League One club Milton Keynes Dons for an undisclosed fee,[13] and made his debut four days later in a 0–1 home defeat to Charlton Athletic.[14] Despite only being with the club since the January transfer window, he was named MK Dons' Young Player of the Year for the 2020–21 season having made just 21 appearances.[15]
On 31 August 2021, whilst captaining the side, Darling scored his first goal for the club, on his 100th start as a professional, in a 2–1 EFL Trophy group stage win away over Burton Albion.[16] He scored his first league goal on 27 November 2021, in a 4–0 away win over Morecambe.[17]
After an impressive first full season at the club in which he scored 10 goals in all competitions from centre-back, Darling was named in both the EFL League One Team of the Season and PFA Team of the Year[18] for 2021–22 alongside teammate Scott Twine.[19]
Swansea City
On 18 June 2022, Darling signed for EFL Championship club Swansea City on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee, reuniting with former coach Russell Martin.[20] On 16 June 2025, Swansea City announced Darling had left the club after his contract expired.
Norwich City
On 16 June 2025, Darling signed for fellow EFL Championship club Norwich City on a three-year deal with an option of an additional year upon his Swansea City contract expiring on 30 June.[21] On 16th August 2025, Darling scored his first goal for the club with a header away at Portsmouth.
Career statistics
- As of match played 25 February 2026
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Cambridge United | 2016–17[22] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017–18[23] | League Two | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2018–19[24] | League Two | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| 2019–20[25] | League Two | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 30 | 2 | |
| 2020–21[26] | League Two | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[a] | 1 | 20 | 1 | |
| Total | 55 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 73 | 3 | ||
| Bishops Stortford (loan) | 2016–17[27] | National League South | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Hampton & Richmond (loan) | 2017–18[27] | National League South | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Royston Town (loan) | 2017–18[28] | Southern Premier | 8 | 0 | — | — | 2[b] | 1 | 10 | 1 | ||
| East Thurrock United (loan) | 2017–18[27] | National League South | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| Milton Keynes Dons | 2020–21[26] | League One | 23 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22[29] | League One | 41 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5[c] | 1 | 49 | 10 | |
| Total | 64 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 72 | 10 | ||
| Swansea City | 2022–23[30] | Championship | 31 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 33 | 4 | |
| 2023–24[31] | Championship | 38 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 40 | 3 | ||
| 2024–25[32] | Championship | 39 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 39 | 5 | ||
| Total | 108 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 112 | 12 | ||
| Norwich City | 2025–26[33] | Championship | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 30 | 1 | |
| Career total | 271 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 306 | 27 | ||
- Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
- Two appearances and a goal in FA Trophy, one appearance in Southern League Cup.
- Three appearances and a goal in EFL Trophy, two appearances in 2021–22 EFL League One play-offs.
Honours
Cambridge United
- EFL League Two runners-up: 2020–21[34]
Individual
- EFL League One Team of the Season: 2021–22[19]
- PFA Team of the Year: 2021–22 League One[18]
- Milton Keynes Dons Players' Player of the Year: 2021–22[35]
- Milton Keynes Dons Young Player of the Year: 2020–21[15]