Jean-Claude Darcheville
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jean-Claude Darcheville | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Rangers | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
Jean-Claude Darcheville (born July 25, 1975 in Sinnamary, French Guiana) is a French football striker currently playing for Scottish Premier League side Rangers.
Career
Early career
Darcheville began his professional career at Rennes. He played his first game for Rennes in a 3-1 defeat to AS Monaco in 1995. He spent three seasons at Rennes, scoring five goals in 42 matches, before leaving for England. He joined then Premiership side Nottingham Forest on loan for a season but failed to settle, scoring only twice in sixteen matches. He was still coming to terms with the death of his wife and children in a car accident in 1998.[1]
Return to France
After a disappointing season in England, Darcheville decided to continue his career in France and joined FC Lorient. He spent three seasons with Lorient, scoring 44 goals in 102 matches. Including the winning goal in the Coupe de France, France's equivalent of the Scottish Cup, as Lorient beat SC Bastia 1-0. He was also on the losing side in the Coupe de la Ligue final as Lorient lost 3-0 to his future employers Bordeaux.
When Lorient were relegated from Ligue 1, Darcheville joined FC Girondins de Bordeaux. The previous season he had scored nineteen goals in thirty-two matches for the doomed Lorient and his good form continue in Bordeaux, scoring eleven league goals in his first season. Overall he scored 37 goals in 131 league games and neeted seven goals in European competition.
Rangers
Darcheville signed a two year contract with Scottish side Rangers on 9 May 2007, to join the club on July 1. He was signed by Walter Smith, after Rangers' two previous managers - Alex McLeish and Paul Le Guen - were also linked with him.[1] Darcheville made his Rangers debut against FK Zeta on the 31 July 2007, in a 2-0 victory.[2] He then went on to score his first and second goals for the club in a match against Falkirk on August 18 2007.[3]
On the 14 December 2007 in Rangers final make or break UEFA Champions League match against Olympique Lyonnais, Darcheville missed what would have been a game changing goal. If he had scored the game would have been tied 1-1 and Rangers could possibly have held on to draw the match and proceeded to the next round. However, it was not to be and to cap a disappointing night the Frenchman was then sent off for stamping on Kim Kallstrom.[4] He later received a three match suspension for this offence and missed the UEFA Cup third round tie against Panathanaikos (Rangers eventually going through to the next round on the away goals rule after drawing 1-1- in Athens) and was also unavailable for the first leg of the last-16 clash with German side Werder Bremen.[5]
Darcheville has recently stated his desire to stay at Rangers for the remainder of his professional career.[6]
Honours
With Rangers
With FC Lorient
References
- ^ a b "Rangers sign striker Darcheville". BBC Sport website. May 8, 2007.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) Cite error: The named reference "Rangers transfer" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page). - ^ "Rangers 2-0 FK Zeta". BBC Sport website. 31 July 2007.
- ^ "Rangers 7-2 Falkirk". BBC Sport website. 18 August 2007.
- ^ "Darcheville rues spurned chance". BBC Sport website. 13 December 2007.
- ^ "Darcheville given three-match ban". BBC Sport website. 16 January 2007.
- ^ Darcheville wants Gers extension BBC Sport website, 24 February 2008