Darren Hughes

Everton

Hughes started his career at Everton, having first been scouted at the age of 11 and signed on schoolboy terms at age 14. He played in the FA Youth Cup final defeat to Norwich City in 1983, and the victory over Stoke City in the following year's final – he scored the winning goal against Stoke from well outside the penalty area. He signed his first professional contract in October 1983. As John Bailey's understudy, he made his first-team debut on 27 December 1983, in a 3–0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux. Hughes later developed a hernia and did not play again for six months. 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 Town

He helped Chic Bates's "Shrews" to post a 17th-place finish in the Second Division in the 1985–86 season. Bates played him as a forward on the last day of the campaign, and Hughes scored from a free kick in a victory that relegated Middlesbrough.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Hughes left Gay Meadow on a £30,000 transfer to league rivals Brighton & Hove Albion in September 1986, two weeks after playing a game between the two clubs. He said he had been happy at Shrewsbury. Still, he felt that Brighton were a bigger club. He made his debut at the Goldstone Ground in a 3–0 defeat…

Hughes was a pacey left-back, though injuries prevented him from reaching his full potential. He spent his early career as a midfielder. He was nicknamed Yosser Hughes, after the character of the same name from the television series Boys from the Blackstuff.

After retiring as a player, Hughes worked as a financial advisor, as a roofer, started a painting company, and spent time living in Australia before finally returning to the UK to run a construction business.

Everton

FA Youth Cup: 1984; runner-up: 1983 Port Vale

Football League Third Division play-offs: 1989