Shared Shirts: Darryl Duffy

Making his first career move outside of his native country of Scotland to join Hull City, we caught up with former Tiger and League One winner with Swansea City Darryl Duffy about his times at both clubs.

Joining Hull City:

“I was only 21 at the time and had been in full-time football since I was 16, but I'd only been a first-team regular for 18 months during my time with Falkirk. After speaking to Peter, who was England Under-21 manager at the time too, his reputation of working with younger players and really developing them made my mind up that Hull was the best place to continue to develop.

“It was really tough,” added Duffy when asked about leaving Scotland. “Luckily enough, my girlfriend agreed to move down with me and that helped a lot. When you've always been at home and surrounded by all your friends and family, it is a big commitment to leave all that behind. It was a massive off-field and on-field commitment, but I just felt it was the right move at the right time.”

Netting in extra-time v Tranmere Rovers:

One of the most notable goals Duffy scored in a City shirt came in the League Cup at home to Tranmere Rovers. With the team not winning any of their four opening league games and locked to a 1-1 scoreline deep into extra-time, the now 40-year-old scored the winner in the 110^th minute to provide City a much needed win.

“To come on and to score the way I did as well, it was a great feeling. It was of relief at that point and I was hoping that it was going to be the start of an upturn in personal and team fortunes, but it just never really transpired that way.”

Fans at both Hull City and Swansea City: 

“I was up at my son's primary school at the start of the year to show them my medals and my trophies. Just seeing younger kids beaming at them makes me look back so fondly. Things could have went better. I probably could have won more in my career, but that's maybe just the perfectionist in me,” explained Duffy.

“But these things can never be taken away from me. Some people go a full career in football without winning anything. I'm really proud of the trophies and leagues that I have won.

“I thought the fans really took to me at both clubs. It would have been really easy to just look at my goal return and turn on me; it would have been understandable. But I never got that at either club. I always worked hard and gave 100% for both clubs, even though things weren't going well for me personally. I knew that I was always in a privileged position playing for these clubs, and fans can see that in your performances or when you're doing interviews or when they meet you out in the street. I loved both sets of fans at both clubs. I couldn't really have asked for them to be any better with me as an individual. I only have one small regret that I didn't get more goals for both clubs.”