Putting the focus on those players who have had long and well-travelled careers in the game, but only made a brief stop off at Molineux.
This week, we feature a player who spent just one season with the Old Gold during the latter stages of his career as he reunited with former boss Glenn Hoddle – Darren Anderton.
Before Wolves
Starting out his junior career in the Southampton Tyro League in which he represented Itchen Saints, the midfielder was spotted by the youth scouts of Portsmouth and was brought into Fratton Park as an apprentice by manager Alan Ball. A young Anderton rode to prominence at the age of 18 when he scored at Anfield in an FA Youth Cup fixture against Liverpool, earning him a professional debut for Pompey only months later as he stepped out against Cardiff City in the League Cup.
Anderton would go on to make his full league debut in the Second Division against one of his future clubs as Portsmouth and Wolves played out a 0-0 draw during the 1990/91 season. He would go on to make more than 60 league appearances for Pompey during two years in the first-team, with an impressive FA Cup run in his second campaign – which included a goal against Liverpool in the semi-final – alerting Tottenham Hotspur, who signed the then-20-year-old for £1.75 million.
He would go on to form an exciting attacking trio alongside Teddy Sheringham and Nick Barmby during his initial years at White Hart Lane, which would see Anderton soon given his England senior debut against Denmark in 1994. He became a regular in the national side, and even turned down the chance to sign for Manchester United the following year – a decision he later admitted regretting.
Despite his immense talent, injuries were a constant thorn in Anderton’s side. Not being able to put a consistent run of games together before ending up on the treatment table saw him coined with the nickname ‘Sicknote’ – a moniker that would follow him throughout the rest of his career. He missed most of the 1995/96 season because of hernia surgery before a groin problem kept him out for eight months, but he was able to play an important role in helping England reach the semi-finals of Euro 96, coming within inches of putting the Three Lions into the final when his shot hit the post.
After further injury troubles, he was recalled by Hoddle to England’s 1998 World Cup squad where he battled with David Beckham for his country’s spot on the right of midfield. Although he missed out on a spot at Euro 2000 because of an Achilles tendon injury.
During his time at Spurs, Anderton made more than 350 appearances over a 12-year stint, helping the club to League Cup glory in 1999. He would leave the club in the summer of 2004 where he joined fellow Premier League side Birmingham City for a year, as the Blues finished the campaign in 12th place.
Wolves career
Following just a single season at St Andrews, Anderton made the decision to join Wolves on a free transfer, linking up with his former Tottenham and England manager, who was in his second season in charge of the Old Gold. Looking for midfield enforcements following the departure of Keith Andrews to Hull City and Kevin Cooper to Cardiff City, Anderton became Hoddle’s third new signing of the window, as he joined former Spurs teammate Rohan Ricketts and Jackie McNamara in the Wolves squad.
He got his Wolves career off to a positive start, coming straight into the side in a 2-2 draw away at Cardiff, before featuring in a 3-1 win against Queens Park Rangers at Molineux. Anderton became an influential figure during the early weeks at Wolves, but his injury record crept up on him once again in just his fourth outing for the club, which saw him forced off in a 2-1 defeat to Millwall, leaving the ground on crutches due to a shin injury.
Coming back into the team as a second-half substitute during a 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United, Anderton helped Wolves to a run of just one defeat in their next 11 matches. Scoring his one and only league goal in a 2-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday, Anderton would eventually leave Molineux after just one season in Old Gold when his contract was not renewed, as the team missed out on a place in the play-offs – mainly due to their incredible record of 19 draws that season.
After Wolves
Anderton dropped down the divisions for his final two-and-a-half years in football, when he joined AFC Bournemouth in League One on a ‘pay-as-you-play’ basis. After scoring a spectacular 40-yead free-kick on his debut at Dean Court, the midfielder would go on to net the first hat-trick of his career in the 2006/07 season as he found the goal three times in a 5-0 win over Leyton Orient.
He was named club captain by the Cherries at the start of the 2007/08 season which saw Anderton spearhead a survival bid, which was not helped by the club receiving a 10-point deduction for going into administration. Despite winning six of their last seven game, a 1-1 draw with Carlisle on the final day saw Bournemouth relegated into League Two.
Although he signed a new one-year deal with Bournemouth the following campaign, Anderton made the decision to retire in December 2008, the day after his final game for the club against Chester City, which saw the former England man bow out by scoring a spectacular 88th minute volley to win the match.
This article originally featured in Wolves' official 2023/24 matchday programme. Last season's programmes are still available to purchase online through retailers Curtis Sports.
