Dru Yearwood
{{Short description|English footballer (born 2000)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Dru Yearwood
| image =
| upright =
| caption = Yearwood in 2020
| fullname = Dru Anthony Yearwood{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/201920/efl-professional-retain-list--free-transfers---2018-19.pdf |title=Club list of registered players: As at 18th May 2019: Southend United |publisher=English Football League |page=66 |access-date=7 July 2019}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|2|17|df=y}}{{cite web |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/dru-yearwood/494243/ |title=D. Yearwood: Summary |website=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |access-date=7 July 2019}}
| birth_place = Harlow, England
| height = {{convert|1.73|m|order=flip}}
| position = Midfielder{{cite web |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/dru-yearwood-256009/ |title=Dru Yearwood |website=11v11.com |publisher=AFS Enterprises |access-date=7 July 2019}}
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = 2007–2011
| youthclubs1 = Arsenal
| youthyears2 = 2011–2017
| youthclubs2 = Southend United
| years1 = 2017–2019
| clubs1 = Southend United
| caps1 = 53
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2019–2020
| clubs2 = Brentford
| caps2 = 2
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2020–2023
| clubs3 = New York Red Bulls
| caps3 = 86
| goals3 = 3
| years4 = 2021–2023
| clubs4 = New York Red Bulls II
| caps4 = 7
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2024
| clubs5 = Nashville SC
| caps5 = 25
| goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2024
| clubs6 = → Huntsville City
| caps6 = 1
| goals6 = 0
}}
Dru Anthony Yearwood (born 17 February 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. 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. He is of Barbadian descent,{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/59598645|title=New York Red Bulls' young English star|work=BBC Sport }} through his father.{{Cite web|url=http://www.loopnewsbarbados.com/content/tridents-verge-making-history|title=Tridents eye Gold Cup 2021|website=www.loopnewsbarbados.com}}
Club career
=Southend United=
After spending four years with the Arsenal academy,{{Cite web|url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2019/august/dru-yearwood-10-things/|title = Get to Know: Dru Yearwood}} Yearwood moved to the Southend United youth system at the age of 11 and graduated to the first team squad in July 2017,{{cite web |url=https://www.southendunited.co.uk/teams/first-team/midfielder/dru-yearwood/ |title=Dru Yearwood |publisher=Southend United F.C. |access-date=7 July 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/2018/january/we-look-at-the-ten-academy-products-to-make-the-first-team-squad-this-season/ |title=We Look at the Ten Academy Products To Make The First Team Squad This Season |publisher=Southend United F.C. |access-date=5 August 2019}} when he signed a four-year professional contract.{{cite web |url=https://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/2017/july/dru-yearwood-signs-four-year-contrcat/ |title=Dru Yearwood signs four year contract |date=25 July 2017 |publisher=Southend United F.C. |access-date=7 July 2019}} 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.{{Cite web |url=https://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/2018/february/yearwood-out-to-build-on-eye-catching-performances/ |title=Yearwood out to build on eye-catching performances |publisher=Southend United F.C. |access-date=5 August 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/2018/april/dru-yearwood-nominated-for-league-one-lfe-apprentice-of-the-year/ |title=Dru Yearwood Nominated For League One LFE Apprentice of the Year |publisher=Southend United F.C. |access-date=5 August 2019}}
=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.{{Cite web |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2019/august/dru-yearwood-joins-brentford-from-southend-united/ |title=Dru Yearwood joins Brentford from Southend United |publisher=Brentford F.C. |access-date=5 August 2019}} 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.{{Cite web|title=England - D. Yearwood - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/dru-yearwood/494243/|access-date=5 August 2020|website=int.soccerway.com}} He left the club after one season in a bid to further his career and play more games.{{Cite web|title=Dru Yearwood joins New York Red Bulls|url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2020/august/dru-yearwood-joins-new-york-red-bulls/|access-date=5 August 2020|website=brentfordfc.com|publisher=Brentford F.C.|language=en-gb}}
=New York Red Bulls=
On 5 August 2020 it was announced that Yearwood joined Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=5 August 2020|title=New York Red Bulls Complete Transfer of Dru Yearwood|url=https://www.newyorkredbulls.com/post/2020/08/05/new-york-red-bulls-complete-transfer-dru-yearwood|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809120354/https://www.newyorkredbulls.com/post/2020/08/05/new-york-red-bulls-complete-transfer-dru-yearwood |archive-date=9 August 2020 |access-date=5 August 2020|website=New York Red Bulls}} Yearwood was signed on a Young Designated Player deal. Yearwood made his debut for the Red Bulls coming on as a substitute in a 3–0 loss against the Philadelphia Union.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=11 October 2020|title=Dru Yearwood|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/dru-yearwood|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919164957/https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/dru-yearwood |archive-date=19 September 2020 |access-date=11 October 2020|website=MLS}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/young-red-bulls-shock-western-conference-giant-austin-fc-this-roster-is-ready|website=mlssoccer.com|title=Young Red Bulls shock Western Conference giant Austin FC: "This roster is ready"|accessdate=25 July 2022}} For his efforts during the match, Yearwood was named to the MLS Team of the Week.{{cite web|url=https://www.newyorkredbulls.com/news/dru-yearwood-makes-mls-team-of-the-week-struber-named-manager-of-the-week#:~:text=of%20the%20Week-,Dru%20Yearwood%20Makes%20MLS%20Team%20of%20the%20Week,Named%20Manager%20of%20the%20Week&text=Dru%20Yearwood%20made%20a%20triumphant,Austin%20FC%20on%20Sunday%20night.|website=mlssoccer.com|title=Dru Yearwood Makes MLS Team of the Week, Struber Named Manager of the Week|accessdate=25 July 2022}} On 2 August 2022, Yearwood opened the scoring for New York in a 5–4 loss to Colorado Rapids.{{cite web|url=https://www.marca.com/en/football/mls/2022/08/03/62e9f5a2ca474153238b4594.html|website=marca.com/en|title=adness in NY! Red Bulls squandered big lead, lose in a nine-goal game vs. Colorado Rapids|accessdate=2 August 2022}} 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 3 September 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.{{cite web|url=https://prosoccerwire.usatoday.com/2022/09/09/mls-suspends-dru-yearwood-three-games-for-kicking-ball-into-stands/|website=prosoccerwire.usatoday.com/|title=MLS suspends Dru Yearwood three games for kicking ball into stands |date= 9 September 2022|accessdate=18 September 2022}}
=Nashville SC=
Yearwood was acquired by Nashville SC on 11 December 2023.{{cite web |title=Nashville Soccer Club Acquires Midfielder Dru Yearwood in Trade with New York Red Bulls |url=https://www.nashvillesc.com/news/nashville-sc-acquires-midfielder-dru-yearwood |access-date=11 December 2023}} He was released by Nashville following their 2024 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nashvillesc.com/news/nashville-soccer-club-2025-roster-decisions|title=Nashville Soccer Club Announces 2025 Roster Decisions|first=Nashville|last=SC|website=Nashville SC}}
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. Yearwood was called into the England U18 squad for the 2018 Panda Cup,{{Cite web |url=https://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/2018/may/england-u18-call-up-for-dru-yearwood/ |title=England U18 Call-Up for Dru Yearwood |publisher=Southend United F.C. |access-date=5 August 2019}} but a hamstring injury prevented his participation.{{Cite web |url=https://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/2018/may/yearwood-withdraws-from-england-squad/ |title=Yearwood Withdraws from England U18 Squad |publisher=Southend United F.C. |access-date=5 August 2019}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 14 August 2023}}{{Soccerway|dru-yearwood/494243|access-date=18 February 2021}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|National cup !colspan=2|League cup !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan=3|Southend United
|2017–18{{soccerbase season|106448|2017|access-date=7 July 2019}} |26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearances in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 29 | 0 | |
| 2018–19{{soccerbase season|106448|2018|access-date=7 July 2019}}
|League One |27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 33 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!53||0||2||0||1||0||6||0||62||0 | ||||||||||
| Brentford
|{{nowrap|2019–20{{soccerbase season|106448|2019|access-date=5 August 2019}}}} |2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|― | 5 | 0 | ||
| rowspan="5"|New York Red Bulls
|2020 |12 | 0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― | 1{{efn|Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs}} | 0 | 13 | 0 | |||
| 2021
|Major League Soccer |29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |― | 1 | 0 | 30 | 1 | ||
| 2022
|Major League Soccer |25 | 2 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2" |― | 0 | 0 | 28 | 2 | ||
| 2023
|Major League Soccer |20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4{{efn|Appearance(s) in Leagues Cup}} | 0 | 2{{efn|Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs}} | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!86||3||5||0||4||0||4||0||99||3 | ||||||||||
| colspan=3|Career total
!141||3||9||0||6||0||10||0||166||3 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
—
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yearwood, Dru}}
Category:Footballers from Harlow
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Southend United F.C. players
Category:Brentford F.C. players
Category:New York Red Bulls players
Category:New York Red Bulls II players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Major League Soccer players
Category:USL Championship players
Category:Designated Players (MLS)
Category:English expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
Category:English expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Category:English people of Barbadian descent
Category:Sportspeople of Barbadian descent