4 – Danny Woodards | |
Full name | Daniel Mark Woodards |
Nationality | England |
Rovers apps (goals)a | 61 (3) |
Position | Defender |
Date of birth | 8 October 1983 (Age 41) in London |
Height | 5 ft 11 in |
Joined | |
26 August 2011 from Milton Keynes Dons
| |
Senior clubs | |
Exeter City Crewe Alexandra Milton Keynes Dons Bristol Rovers | |
a League appearances and goals only Last updated by Gasheadsteve on 3/06/2013 |
Danny Woodards joined Rovers from Milton Keynes Dons in late August 2011, shortly after the start of the 2011–12 season. After a busy summer break that saw a great deal of transfer activity, the defender became manager Paul Buckle's sixteenth signing since taking charge of the club's affairs just two months earlier.
After signing a one-year deal, Woodards was thrown straight into first team action, making his debut as a 35th-minute substitute for an injured Adam Virgo in the 3–2 defeat to Leyton Orient in the Carling Cup on 30 August 2011. He remained a regular starter, playing at both centre half and at right back, and he picked up the club's Player of the Year award at the end of the season.
Things took a turn for the worse however when he suffered a broken leg in the final game of the season, a 4–0 defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge, sidelining him for the beginning of the 2012–13 campaign. That paled into insignificance however when two months later his brother was stabbed to death in a brawl in a London shopping centre.
It wasn't until mid-November 2012 that he was able to return to the pitch. Although he had spent much of the previous season in the right-back position, an in-form Michael Smith meant Woodards was used primarily as a central defender this time around until he again suffered a serious injury, this time damage to his anterior cruciate ligament, which necessitated surgery and a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Career[]
Londoner Woodards began his career as a trainee with Chelsea, but following his release by them, and an unsuccessful trial with Wycombe Wanderers, he joined Conference side Exeter City on non-contract terms in October 2006. He finally signed his first pro contract in January 2006. In one and a quarter years with the Grecians he made 49 league appearances, and also played alongside his future manager Paul Buckle, but he turned down their offer of a new contract in 2007, opting instead to try and find a club in the Football League. He had a brief trial spell with Yeovil Town but joined Crewe Alexandra for a fee of £30,000 that January.
After making 84 league appearances for Crewe he again decided to move on in 2009 following Alex's relegation to League Two, signing for Milton Keynes Dons on 8 June. He signed for Rovers to play under his former teammate, Buckle, in August 2011.
Career stats[]
Season | Club | League | |
---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | ||
2005–06 | Exeter City | 27 | 0 |
2006–07 | Exeter City | 22 | 0 |
2006–07 | Crewe Alexandra | 11 | 0 |
2007–08 | Crewe Alexandra | 36 | 0 |
2008–09 | Crewe Alexandra | 37 | 0 |
2009–10 | Milton Keynes Dons | 29 | 0 |
2010–11 | Milton Keynes Dons | 37 | 1 |
2011–12 | Milton Keynes Dons | 0 | 0 |
2011–12 | Bristol Rovers | 39 | 1 |
2012–13 | Bristol Rovers | 22 | 2 |
Record against Rovers[]
Danny has played against Bristol Rovers six times in his career, three times for Crewe Alexandra and three times for MK Dons. All three of his games for Crewe ended in draws, and while with the Dons he ended up on the winning side twice and lost once.
Date | Club | Venue | Result | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
18 August 2007 | Crewe Alexandra | Memorial Stadium | 1–1 | |
29 January 2008 | Crewe Alexandra | Gresty Road | 1–1 | |
27 September 2008 | Crewe Alexandra | Memorial Stadium | 0–0 | |
5 April 2010 | Milton Keynes Dons | Memorial Stadium | 1–0 to Rovers | David McCracken also played for MK Dons |
1 January 2011 | Milton Keynes Dons | stadium:mk | 2–0 to MK Dons | |
2 February 2011 | Milton Keynes Dons | Memorial Stadium | 2–1 to MK Dons |
Manager: John Ward
Bristol Rovers Football Club Player of the Year | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2006–07 | Steve Phillips | • | 2007–08 | Stuart Campbell | • | 2008–09 | Rickie Lambert | • | 2009–10 | Stuart Campbell |
2010–11 | Stuart Campbell | • | 2011–12 | Danny Woodards | • | 2012–13 | Michael Smith |