Dru Yearwood

Dru Yearwood
Personal information
Full name Dru Anthony Yearwood[1]
Date of birth (2000-02-17) 17 February 2000 (age 24)[2]
Place of birth Harlow, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder[3]
Team information
Current team
 Nashville SC
Number 16
Youth career
2007–2011 Arsenal
2011–2017 Southend United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2019 Southend United 53 (0)
2019–2020 Brentford 2 (0)
2020–2023 New York Red Bulls 86 (3)
2024– Nashville SC 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Dru Anthony Yearwood (born 17 February 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Nashville SC of Major League Soccer. He is a product of the Arsenal and Southend United youth systems and began his senior career with Southend. He further played one season for Brentford.

Early life

Yearwood was born in Harlow, Essex.[2] He is of Barbadian descent,[4] through his father.[5]

Club career

Southend United

After spending four years with the Arsenal academy,[6] Yearwood moved to the Southend United youth system at the age of 11 and graduated to the first team squad in July 2017,[7][8] when he signed a four-year professional contract.[9] He was a regular member of the team during the 2017–18 and 2018–19 League One seasons and he was nominated for the LFE Apprentice of the Year award at the 2018 EFL Awards.[10][11][12][13]

Brentford

Yearwood signed for Championship club Brentford on 5 August 2019, on a four-year contract, with the option of a further year, for an undisclosed fee.[14] Throughout the 2019–2020 season and Brentford's promotion push, Yearwood only made two appearances in the league and three other appearances in the Cups.[15] He left the club after one season in a bid to further his career and play more games.[16]

New York Red Bulls

On 5 August 2020 it was announced that Yearwood joined Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls.[16][17] Yearwood was signed on a Young Designated Player deal.[17] Yearwood made his debut for the Red Bulls coming on as a substitute in a 3–0 loss against the Philadelphia Union.[18] On 11 September 2021, Yearwood scored his first senior goal in a 1–1 draw against DC United. On 24 July 2022, Yearwood scored his first of the season and assisted on another goal for New York in a 4–3 victory over Austin FC.[19] For his efforts during the match, Yearwood was named to the MLS Team of the Week.[20] On 2 August 2022, Yearwood opened the scoring for New York in a 4–5 loss to Colorado Rapids.[21] On 9 September 2022, Yearwood was fined and suspended for four games following an incident at the end of a match against the Philadelphia Union on September 3 where, in a moment of frustration, he kicked the ball into the stands which subsequently struck a fan in the face. Yearwood apologized for his actions via the team's Twitter account.[22]

Nashville SC

Yearwood was acquired by Nashville SC on 11 December 2023.[23]

International career

Yearwood was born in England and is of Barbadian descent. He was called up to represent the Barbados national team for a friendly against Saint Lucia in 2016, but did not make an appearance.[5] Yearwood was called into the England U18 squad for the 2018 Panda Cup,[24] but a hamstring injury prevented his participation.[25]

Career statistics

As of match played 14 August 2023[26]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Southend United 2017–18[11] League One 26 0 0 0 1 0 2[a] 0 29 0
2018–19[12] League One 27 0 2 0 0 0 4[a] 0 33 0
Total 53 0 2 0 1 0 6 0 62 0
Brentford 2019–20[27] Championship 2 0 2 0 1 0 ― 5 0
New York Red Bulls 2020 Major League Soccer 12 0 ― ― 1[b] 0 13 0
2021 Major League Soccer 29 1 0 0 ― 1 0 30 1
2022 Major League Soccer 25 2 3 0 ― 0 0 28 2
2023 Major League Soccer 20 0 2 0 4[c] 0 2[d] 0 28 0
Total 86 3 5 0 4 0 4 0 99 3
Career total 141 3 9 0 6 0 10 0 166 3
  1. ^ a b Appearances in EFL Trophy
  2. ^ Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs
  3. ^ Appearance(s) in Leagues Cup
  4. ^ Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Club list of registered players: As at 18th May 2019: Southend United" (PDF). English Football League. p. 66. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "D. Yearwood: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Dru Yearwood". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  4. ^ "New York Red Bulls' young English star". BBC Sport.
  5. ^ a b "Tridents eye Gold Cup 2021". www.loopnewsbarbados.com.
  6. ^ "Get to Know: Dru Yearwood".
  7. ^ "Dru Yearwood". Southend United F.C. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  8. ^ "We Look at the Ten Academy Products To Make The First Team Squad This Season". Southend United F.C. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  9. ^ "Dru Yearwood signs four year contract". Southend United F.C. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  10. ^ "Yearwood out to build on eye-catching performances". Southend United F.C. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  11. ^ a b "Games played by Dru Yearwood in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  12. ^ a b "Games played by Dru Yearwood in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  13. ^ "Dru Yearwood Nominated For League One LFE Apprentice of the Year". Southend United F.C. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  14. ^ "Dru Yearwood joins Brentford from Southend United". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  15. ^ "England - D. Yearwood - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Dru Yearwood joins New York Red Bulls". brentfordfc.com. Brentford F.C. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  17. ^ a b "New York Red Bulls Complete Transfer of Dru Yearwood". New York Red Bulls. 5 August 2020. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  18. ^ "Dru Yearwood". MLS. 11 October 2020. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  19. ^ "Young Red Bulls shock Western Conference giant Austin FC: "This roster is ready"". mlssoccer.com. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  20. ^ "Dru Yearwood Makes MLS Team of the Week, Struber Named Manager of the Week". mlssoccer.com. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  21. ^ "adness in NY! Red Bulls squandered big lead, lose in a nine-goal game vs. Colorado Rapids". marca.com/en. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  22. ^ "MLS suspends Dru Yearwood three games for kicking ball into stands". prosoccerwire.usatoday.com/. 9 September 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  23. ^ "Nashville Soccer Club Acquires Midfielder Dru Yearwood in Trade with New York Red Bulls". Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  24. ^ "England U18 Call-Up for Dru Yearwood". Southend United F.C. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  25. ^ "Yearwood Withdraws from England U18 Squad". Southend United F.C. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  26. ^ Dru Yearwood at Soccerway. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  27. ^ "Games played by Dru Yearwood in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  28. ^ "Blues 17/18 DeVines Player of the Month Winners". Southend United F.C. Retrieved 5 August 2019.

External links