Harry Darling

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]

Harry Darling

Personal information
Full name	Harry Jack Darling[1]
Date of birth	(1999-08-08) 8 August 1999 (age 26)
Place of birth	Cambridge, England
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2]
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Norwich City
Number	6
Youth career
2011–2012	Cambridge United
0000–2015	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	1	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:37, 16 June 2025 (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. On 8 November 2016, he made his debut in a 2–0 EFL Trophy defeat to Scunthorpe United.^[4]

He signed his first professional contract with the club in October 2016.^[5] On 8 August 2017, Darling started in a 4–1 EFL Cup defeat at Bristol Rovers.^[6] He made his full league debut for the club on 13 January 2018 in a 0–0 draw against Mansfield Town. 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,^[7] and made his debut four days later in a 0–1 home defeat to Charlton Athletic.^[8] 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.^[9]

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.^[10] He scored his first league goal on 27 November 2021, in a 4–0 away win over Morecambe.^[11]

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^[12] for 2021–22 alongside teammate Scott Twine.^[13]

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.^[14] 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.^[15]

Career statistics

As of 13 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
Cambridge United	2016–17[16]	League Two	0	0	0	0	0	0	1[a]	0	1	0
	2017–18[17]	League Two	3	0	0	0	1	0	1[a]	0	5	0
	2018–19[18]	League Two	12	0	0	0	1	0	4[a]	0	17	0
	2019–20[19]	League Two	24	2	1	0	2	0	3[a]	0	30	2
	2020–21[20]	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[21]	National League South	2	0	—		—		—		2	0
Hampton & Richmond (loan)	2017–18[21]	National League South	2	0	—		—		—		2	0
Royston Town (loan)	2017–18[22]	Southern Premier	8	0	—		—		2[b]	1	10	1
East Thurrock United (loan)	2017–18[21]	National League South	5	0	—		—		—		5	0
Milton Keynes Dons	2020–21[20]	League One	23	0	—		—		0	0	23	0
	2021–22[23]	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[24]	Championship	31	4	1	0	1	0	—		33	4
	2023–24[25]	Championship	25	3	0	0	2	0	0	0	27	3
	Total		56	7	1	0	3	0	0	0	60	7
Career total			192	16	4	2	8	0	20	3	224	21

1. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy.
2. Two appearances and a goal in FA Trophy, one appearance in Southern League Cup.
3. 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^[26]

Individual

• EFL League One Team of the Season: 2021–22^[13]
• PFA Team of the Year: 2021–22 League One^[12]
• Milton Keynes Dons Players' Player of the Year: 2021–22^[27]
• Milton Keynes Dons Young Player of the Year: 2020–21^[9]