Darren Potter
Birthdate: 21 December 1984
Birthplace: Liverpool, England
Other clubs: Southampton (loan 2006), Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan 2006-07 + transfer 2007-09), Sheffield Wednesday (2009-11), Milton Keynes Dons (2011-)
Bought from: Blackburn Rovers (youth)
Signed for LFC: Joined 2001 - Professional 18.04.2002
International debut: 23.05.2007 vs. Equador
International caps: Ireland 5/0 - 17.11.2007
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Liverpool debut: 10.08.2004
Last appearance: 23.11.2005
Contract expiry: 18.01.2007
Win ratio: 64.71% W: 11 D: 1 L: 5
LFC league games/goals: 2 / 0
Total LFC games/goals: 17 / 0
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Player profile
The Liverpudlian, as with many born in this area, had Irish roots and therefore qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland. He was released by Everton when he was 15, but their loss was Liverpool's gain. Potter wasn't very optimistic about his chances. "I am more comfortable in the middle than on the right, but you know that Steven Gerrard, the best player in Europe, Xabi Alonso and Didi Hamann are competing for those places, so it is not going to be easy playing there. But as far as I am concerned, I'd give an arm and a leg just to get a shirt in any position." Potter's first-team opportunities at Anfield were limited but the midfielder did feature in 17 matches between 2004 and 2006, making ten starts, mostly in the League Cup or the Champions League qualifying rounds. Potter had a short loan spell at Southampton towards the end of the 2005/06 season and following a successful loan spell at Wolves he was transferred in January 2007. Potter never settled at Molineux and in January 2009 he was sent on loan to Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship and the Owls signed him in the summer. Potter was an ever-present for Wednesday in 2009/10, but the club was relegated to the third tier of English football. Potter struggled to hold on to a regular spot as Wednesday adjusted to life in League One, leaving the club in June 2011. He immediately signed a one-year deal with League One club Milton Keynes Dons. Potter was reunited with Dons manager, Karl Robinson, who had been a coach at Liverpool around the time the then 19-year-old made the first of only two Premier League appearances for the Reds. Potter had an excellent first season with the Dons, making 42 starts in League One as the club reached the end-of-season play-offs but were defeated on aggregate by Huddersfield Town.