Tendayi David Darikwa (born 13 December 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a right back[4][5] for EFL Championship club Wigan Athletic. Born in England, he represents the Zimbabwe national team internationally.
Darikwa playing for Burnley in 2015 | |||
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Tendayi David Darikwa[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1991-12-13) 13 December 1991 (age 30)[2] | ||
Place of birth | Nottingham, England | ||
Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[3] | ||
Position(s) | Right back | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Wigan Athletic | ||
Number | 27 | ||
Youth career | |||
0000–2010 | Chesterfield | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2010–2015 | Chesterfield | 125 | (9) |
2010 | → Barrow (loan) | 1 | (0) |
2012 | → Hinckley United (loan) | 5 | (0) |
2015–2017 | Burnley | 21 | (1) |
2017–2021 | Nottingham Forest | 58 | (0) |
2021– | Wigan Athletic | 79 | (2) |
National team‡ | |||
2017– | Zimbabwe | 13 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 October 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:42, 28 November 2020 (UTC) |
Born to Zimbabwean expatriate parents in Nottingham, Darikwa was raised in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire attending Abbey Road Primary School.[6][7]
Darikwa started his career at Chesterfield, signing his first professional contract in the summer of 2010, before joining Barrow on loan with fellow Chesterfield player Craig Clay in October 2010.[8]
He made his debut for Chesterfield on 27 November 2010 in the FA Cup, in a 3–1 defeat by Burton Albion in the 55th minute replacing Deane Smalley.[9]
Darikwa made his league debut for Chesterfield in the 2011–12 season when he started away to hometown club Notts County. He was offered a new one-year contract by the club in May 2012.[10]
Due to good league performances early in 2012–13 season, after the appointment of new manager Paul Cook in late October 2012, Darikwa signed a one-year contract extension until 2015.[11] He then received national recognition by winning the Football League Young Player of the Month for December 2012[12] In October 2013, Darikwa was linked with a move to Premier League club Manchester United, with the then manager David Moyes scouting the player.[citation needed] Darikwa said he was flattered in the interest, but felt he was not ready to play at that level.[13]
On 30 March 2014, he played at Wembley Stadium in Chesterfield's 3–1 defeat to Peterborough United in the final of the Football League Trophy.[14] He also played a vital role in helping the club get promoted when they won the League Two Championship at the end of the 2013–14 season.[15]
After being converted from a right winger to a right back during the 2013–14 season, for the 2014–15 season Darikwa's squad number was changed from his usual number 7 shirt to 2 to reflect his positional change. On 7 April 2015, he scored his first goal of the 2014–15 season with a headed goal in a victory against Crewe Alexandra.[16] After another impressive season in his converted right back position, Darikwa helped Chesterfield reach the League One play-offs in 2014–15; however, they were beaten over two legs in the semi-final against Preston North End.[citation needed]
On 6 May 2015, Darikwa won four awards at the Chesterfield end of season awards where he won the Player of the Year Award and Players' Player of the Season Award.[17]
Darikwa signed a three-year-contract with Championship club Burnley on 30 July 2015.[18] On 8 August 2015, the opening day of the 2015–16 season, he made his debut for Burnley against Leeds United in a 1–1 draw, getting the assist for Sam Vokes' equalizer.[19] On 26 September, he scored his first goal for Burnley in a 2–1 loss to Reading.[20]
Darikwa signed a four-year contract with Nottingham Forest on 26 July 2017.[21] He made his league debut for the club on 4 August 2017 in a 1–0 home win over Millwall.[22] He scored his first goal for the club in an EFL Cup tie against Chelsea on 20 September 2017.[23]
On 11 January 2021, Darikwa joined EFL League One side Wigan Athletic on a short-term contract until the end of the season,[24][25] making his debut for the club on 16 January in a 3–3 draw with Rochdale.[26] Darikwa signed a two-year contract with the club on 1 July 2021.[27] He scored his first goal for Wigan in a 2–0 win at Charlton Athletic on 21 August 2021.[28]
In October 2013, Darikwa revealed he was keen to play for the Zimbabwe national team but reconsidered his position after being asked to pay a 'processing fee' by a former Zimbabwe Football Association official. He did reveal he would consider any future approach from Zimbabwe or England.[13] Darikwa made his debut for Zimbabwe on 8 November 2017 in a friendly defeat to Lesotho.[29]
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
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Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Chesterfield | 2010–11[30] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
2011–12[31] | League One | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
2012–13[32] | League Two | 36 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 40 | 5 | |
2013–14[33] | League Two | 41 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6[lower-alpha 1] | 1 | 50 | 5 | |
2014–15[34] | League One | 46 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 56 | 1 | |
Total | 125 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 150 | 11 | ||
Barrow (loan) | 2010–11[35] | Conference Premier | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
Hinckley United (loan) | 2011–12[36] | Conference North | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
Burnley | 2015–16[37] | Championship | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 24 | 1 | |
2016–17[22] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | ||
Total | 21 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 29 | 1 | |||
Nottingham Forest | 2017–18[38] | Championship | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 32 | 1 | |
2018–19[39] | Championship | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 31 | 0 | ||
2019–20[40] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
2020–21[41] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
Total | 58 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 63 | 1 | |||
Wigan Athletic | 2020–21[41] | League One | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
2021–22[42] | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | ||
Total | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | ||
Career total | 240 | 11 | 18 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 279 | 14 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
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Zimbabwe | 2017 | 2 | 0 |
2018 | 2 | 0 | |
2019 | 7 | 0 | |
2020 | 2 | 0 | |
Total | 13 | 0 |
Chesterfield
Zimbabwe
Wigan league 1 2021/22
Individual
Chesterfield F.C. Player of the Year | |
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Zimbabwe squad – 2019 Africa Cup of Nations | ||
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Wigan Athletic F.C. – current squad | |
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