Everton
Which team did Darren Hughes (footballer) play for from 1983 to 1985?
Darren Hughes ( footballer ) Darren John Hughes ( born 6 October 1965 ) is an English former footballer . A left-back noted for his pace , he made 388 league and cup appearances for six clubs over a fourteen-year career in the English Football League . Starting his senior career at Everton in 1983 , he was unable to make the grade at the First Division champions , despite helping the youth team to lift the FA Youth Cup , and so was allowed to leave for Shrewsbury Town in June 1985 . After one season with the Shrews he signed with Brighton & Hove Albion for a £35,000 fee in September 1986 . In September 1987 he signed with Port Vale , where he spent seven years and made 184 league appearances . He helped the Valiants to win promotion out of the Third Division in 1989 . He then spent January to November 1995 at Northampton Town , before transferring to Exeter City . After two seasons at Exeter he moved into non-league football with Morecambe and Newcastle Town . Playing career . Everton . Hughes started his career at Everton , playing in the FA Youth Cup final defeat to Norwich City in 1983 , and the victory over Stoke City in the following years final – he scored the winning goal against Stoke from well outside the penalty box . He signed his first professional contract in October 1983 . As John Baileys understudy , he made his first team debut on 27 December 1983 , in a 3–0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux . He played in the final two First Division games of the title winning 1984–85 season : a 4–1 loss to Coventry City at Highfield Road and a 2–0 defeat to Luton Town at Kenilworth Road . Manager Howard Kendall allowed him to join Shrewsbury Town on a free transfer in June 1985 . Shrewsbury to Brighton . He helped Chic Batess Shrews to post a 17th-place finish in the Second Division in 1985–86 . Hughes left Gay Meadow on a £35,000 transfer to league rivals Brighton & Hove Albion in September 1986 . However , the midfielder could not prevent Alan Mullerys Seagulls from suffering relegation in last place in the 1986–87 season . Port Vale . Hughes left Goldstone Ground and joined John Rudges Port Vale on loan in September 1987 , before signing permanently for a £5,000 fee later that month . He claimed a goal against former employers Brighton in a 2–0 win at Vale Park on 28 September , and went on to make 53 appearances for the Valiants in the 1987–88 campaign . He was converted from central midfield to become the clubs regular left-back . He played 56 games in the 1988–89 season , including both legs of the Third Division play-off Final victory over Bristol Rovers . He then played 46 matches in the 1989–90 season , as Vale settled into the Second Division . Teammate and club legend Phil Sproson named him as the clubs best left-back of the 1980s . However , he could only play 18 games in the 1990–91 season , as he suffered a hernia injury and underwent two operations to fix it ; during his absence Nigerian loanee Reuben Agboola took his place . Hughes returned to fitness by April 1991 . He made 49 appearances in the 1991–92 relegation season , and scored past Newcastle United in a 2–2 draw at St James Park . He ruptured a thigh muscle in July 1992 and again battled through two surgical procedures to correct it during the 1992–93 season ; this caused him to miss the play-off Final and League Trophy Final . Still injured at the start of the 1993–94 season , he found , to his dismay , that he was released by the club in February 1994 . He took the club to an industrial tribunal citing unfair dismissal , the result of which was a six-week trial in August 1994 to prove his fitness and ability . He quit the club in November 1994 after being dissatisfied there , and moved on to Northampton Town in January 1995 . Later career . He helped Ian Atkinss Cobblers to a 17th-place finish in the Third Division in 1994–95 , before he left Sixfields to switch to Exeter City in November 1995 . He made 62 Third Division appearances , as Peter Foxs Grecians struggled at the foot of the English Football League in 1995–96 and 1996–97 . He then departed St James Park for Morecambe . He played ten games as he helped Jim Harveys Shrimpers to a fifth-place finish in the Conference National in 1997–98 . He left the Globe Arena and later played for Newcastle Town in the North West Counties League . Style of play . Hughes was a pacey left-back , though injuries prevented him from reaching his full potential . He spent his early career as a midfielder . Later life . After retiring as a player , Hughes ran a construction business . Statistics . Source : Honours . - Everton - FA Youth Cup runner-up : 1983 - FA Youth Cup winner : 1984 - Football League First Division champion : 1984–85 - Port Vale - Football League Third Division play-off winner : 1989