Darren Oldaker

Last updated

Darren Oldaker
Personal information
Full name Darren Joseph Norman Oldaker [1]
Date of birth (1999-01-04) 4 January 1999 (age 26) [2]
Place of birth Guildford, England
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
Swindon Town
Number 44
Youth career
–2015 Queens Park Rangers
2015–2016 Gillingham
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2016–2019 Gillingham 21 (0)
2018Hythe Town (loan) 14 (5)
2019 Billericay Town 2 (0)
2019 Westfield 2 (0)
2020–2021 Hythe Town 13 (1)
2021 Welling United 3 (0)
2021 Hythe Town 11 (0)
2021–2022 Dorking Wanderers 24 (4)
2022–2025 Chesterfield 96 (7)
2025– Swindon Town 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:27, 23 May 2025 (UTC)

Darren Joseph Norman Oldaker (born 4 January 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for EFL League Two club Swindon Town

Contents

Career

Oldaker began his career in the Queens Park Rangers youth team, but was ready to quit the game when Dennis Wise recommended him to Gillingham. [3] He had a trial at the club and was soon signed onto scholarship forms. [3] He signed professional forms in May 2016. [4] He made his League One debut on 20 August 2016, coming on as a 75th-minute substitute for Emmanuel Osadebe in a 5–0 defeat to Scunthorpe United at Glanford Park. [5] He scored on his first start for the "Gills" ten days later, in a 2–1 defeat to Luton Town in an EFL Trophy match at Priestfield Stadium. [6]

In February 2017 he signed on loan for Isthmian League South Division team Hythe Town, making his debut for the side in a 2–1 victory over Herne Bay on 6 February 2017. [7]

On 21 August 2019, it was announced that Oldaker had left Gillingham after the club, along with the player, decided to terminate his contract by mutual consent. [8]

The following month, Oldaker signed on non-contract terms for National League South side Billericay Town. [9] After just three appearances for Billericay and two for Westfield, [10] he signed for former club Hythe Town on 24 January 2020. [11]

On 5 February 2021, Oldaker signed for National League South side Welling United. [12] He made three appearances for The Wings before the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed the remainder of the campaign. On 28 May 2021, he subsequently agreed to return to Hythe Town, despite signing on for another campaign with Welling prior to the announcement. [13]

On 23 November 2021, after featuring heavily for Hythe, Oldaker made his return to the National League South to join Surrey-based Dorking Wanderers. [14]

Having achieved promotion through the National League South play-offs, Oldaker signed for fellow National League club Chesterfield. [15]

On 23 May 2025, Oldaker agreed to join League Two side Swindon Town on a two-year contract from 1 July. [16]

Career statistics

As of end of 2024–25 season
ClubSeasonLeague FA Cup EFL Cup OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Gillingham 2015–16 [17] League One 0000000000
2016–17 [17] League One5000102 [a] 282
2017–18 [17] League One3000104 [a] 282
2018–19 [17] League One13031001 [a] 0171
2019–20 [17] League One0000000000
Total210312074334
Hythe Town (loan) 2017–18 [18] Isthmian League Division One South145145
Billericay Town 2019–20 [19] National League South 20100030
Westfield 2019–20 [20] Isthmian League South Central Division2020
Hythe Town 2019–20 [21] Isthmian League South East Division7070
2020–21 [22] Isthmian League South East Division61103 [b] 0101
Total1311030171
Welling United 2020–21 [19] National League South3030
Hythe Town 2021–22 [23] Isthmian League South East Division110401 [b] 0160
Dorking Wanderers 2021–22 [17] National League South2441 [c] 0254
Chesterfield 2022–23 [17] National League 393502 [d] 1464
2023–24 [17] National League2514100292
2024–25 [24] League Two 32320105 [a] 1404
Total967111107211510
Career total176172023019622825
  1. 1 2 3 4 Appearances in the EFL Trophy
  2. 1 2 Appearances in the FA Trophy
  3. Appearance in the National League South play-offs
  4. Appearance(s) in National League play-offs

Honours

Chesterfield

References

  1. "Retained List 2015-16" (PDF). English Football League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  2. "Darren Oldaker". 11v11. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 Cawdell, Luke (10 June 2016). "Former England and Chelsea star Dennis Wise helped bring Darren Oldaker to Gillingham". Kent Online. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  4. "Oldaker signs first professional contract". gillinghamfootballclub.com. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  5. "Scunthorpe United 5-0 Gillingham". BBC Sport. 20 August 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  6. Cawdell, Luke (30 August 2016). "Gillingham 1 Luton Town 2 – Checkatrade Trophy match report". Kent Online. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  7. "DJ signs for Hythe". Kent Online. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  8. "Darren Oldaker leaves Gillingham FC". Gillingham FC. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  9. "Former Gillingham midfielder Darren Oldaker signs for non-league Billericay Town". Kent Oneline. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  10. "Darren Oldaker". Westfield F.C. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  11. Panting, Matthew (24 January 2020). "Former Gillingham and Billericay midfielder Darren Oldaker joins Hythe Town". Kent Online. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  12. "Former Gills youngster joins". Welling United FC. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  13. Cawdell, Luke (28 May 2021). "Darren Oldaker announces he will be playing for Hythe Town next season - not Welling United". Kent Online. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  14. Tucker, Craig (23 November 2021). "Ex-Gillingham midfielder Darren Oldaker leaves Hythe Town for Dorking Wanderers". Kent Online. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  15. "Midfielder signing agreed". chesterfield-fc.co.uk. 19 June 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  16. "Town sign Darren Oldaker". www.swindontownfc.co.uk. 23 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "D. Oldaker". Soccerway. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  18. "Appearances - Darren Oldaker". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  19. 1 2 "Darren Oldaker Profile". Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  20. "Westfield – Appearances – Darren Oldaker – 2019-2020". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  21. "Hythe Town – Appearances – Darren Oldaker – 2019-2020". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  22. "Hythe Town – Appearances – Darren Oldaker – 2020-2021". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  23. "Hythe Town – Appearances – Darren Oldaker". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  24. "Games played by Darren Oldaker in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  25. "National League: 2023/24: Current table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
    "Chesterfield: Squad details: 2023/24". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 April 2024.