Dan Scarr Explained

Dan Scarr
Fullname:Daniel George Scarr[1]
Birth Date:24 December 1994[2] [3]
Birth Place:Bromsgrove, England
Position:Centre back
Currentclub:Wrexham
Youthyears1:2011–2013
Youthclubs1:Worcester City
Years1:2013–2014
Clubs1:Causeway United
Years2:2014–2015
Clubs2:Redditch United
Years3:2015–2017
Clubs3:Stourbridge
Caps3:60
Goals3:6
Years4:2017–2019
Clubs4:Birmingham City
Caps4:0
Goals4:0
Years5:2017–2018
Clubs5:Wycombe Wanderers (loan)
Caps5:22
Goals5:1
Years6:2019–2021
Clubs6:Walsall
Caps6:85
Goals6:5
Years7:2021–2024
Clubs7:Plymouth Argyle
Caps7:95
Goals7:5
Years8:2024–
Clubs8:Wrexham
Caps8:0
Goals8:0
Club-Update:22:06, 13 August 2024 (UTC)

Daniel George Scarr (born 24 December 1994) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre back for club Wrexham.

He played for several years in non-league football, including as a member of the Stourbridge team that reached the third round of the 2016–17 FA Cup, before signing for Birmingham City in January 2017. He spent the 2017–18 season on loan to Wycombe Wanderers, and made one EFL Cup appearance for Birmingham before joining Walsall in January 2019. He left the club when his contract expired in June 2021 and signed for League One Plymouth Argyle, whom he helped gain promotion to the Championship and then retain their second-tier status, before signing for Wrexham in 2024.

Life and career

Early life and career

Scarr's father, Ian, played non-league football as a goalkeeper before becoming a referee.[4] Scarr himself began his football career at Worcester College of Technology Football Academy in association with Worcester City.[5] He was club captain of the Academy's team, and it was at that stage that he was converted from right back to centre back.[6] [7]

After completing his college course, Scarr played for Midland Alliance (ninth-tier) club Causeway United before moving up two steps of the football pyramid to join Redditch United of the Southern League Premier Division in 2014.[8]

A year later, he signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division (seventh-tier) club Stourbridge, for which he played part-time while working as a fitness trainer in a gym in the Rubery area of Birmingham.[9] In 2015–16 he made 55 appearances in all competitions, performed well, and signed for another season. He was a member of the Stourbridge team that progressed through four rounds of qualifying and two rounds proper to reach the third round of the 2016–17 FA Cup. Drawn away to Wycombe Wanderers of EFL League Two, Stourbridge conceded just after half-time, but with 20 minutes left, a long free kick into the penalty area fell to Scarr who stabbed it home to equalise; Adebayo Akinfenwa restored Wycombe's lead late on.[10] Scarr's performances earned him a place in the Northern Premier League Premier Division Team of the Season.[11]

Birmingham City

He promptly went on trial with West Bromwich Albion,[12] and was watched by other clubs including Middlesbrough, Port Vale and Portsmouth, but it was Birmingham Citythe club he supportswho signed him on a two-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[13] [14] Soon after joining the club, he tore a hip flexor and was out of action for the rest of the season.[15]

Scarr joined Wycombe Wanderers on 31 August 2017, on loan until 1 January 2018.[16] After two matches as an unused substitute,[17] Scarr made his Football League debut on 12 September, in the starting eleven for the League Two fixture away to Mansfield Town; he played the whole match, which ended goalless.[18] In a 3–3 draw with Carlisle United in October, Scarr conceded a penalty for what the referee saw as a foul on Shaun Miller; Miller was subsequently charged by the Football Association and became the first player retrospectively suspended for "successful deception of a match official" via a "clear act of simulation".[19] In mid-December, by which time he had made ten league appearances, his loan was extended to the end of the season.[20] Scarr scored his first Football League goal on 22 December with a volley from outside the penalty area to help Wycombe recover from a two-goal deficit away to Coventry City, only to lose 3–2.[21] He established himself in Wycombe's starting eleven in the second half of the campaign, but an injury sustained playing against Cambridge United in March put an end to his season.[17] [22] The team went on to achieve automatic promotion.[23]

He made his debut for Birmingham City in the starting eleven for the visit to Reading in the EFL Cup first round on 14 August 2018; Birmingham lost 2–0.

Walsall

Scarr joined League One club Walsall on 21 January 2019, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[24]

Plymouth Argyle

At the end of the 2020–21 season, Scarr turned down Walsall's offer of new terms in favour of joining Plymouth Argyle of League One when his Walsall contract expired.[25] [26] He made his debut on the opening day of the season, playing the whole of a 2–0 defeat away to Rotherham United.[27] After Plymouth won League One in the 2022-23 season, Dan Scarr gained attention on social media for catching a flare thrown towards him during an open top bus parade through the city. [28]

Following Plymouth's promotion to the EFL Championship, Scarr signed a new two-year contract.[29]

Wrexham

Scarr joined League One club Wrexham on 2 August 2024 on a three-year contract; the fee was undisclosed.[30]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupEFL CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Stourbridge2015–16[31] NPL Premier Division4466051557
2016–17[32] NPL Premier Division1608310253
Total606143618010
Birmingham City2016–17Championship00000000
2017–18Championship00000000
2018–19Championship00001010
Total00001010
Wycombe Wanderers (loan)2017–18League Two2213010261
Walsall2018–19League One171171
2019–20League Two330300042402
2020–21League Two354101020394
Total855401062967
Plymouth Argyle2021–22League One352502000422
2022–23League One322100030362
2023–24Championship2812010311
Total9558030301095
Wrexham2024–25League One0000100010
Career total262172936016331323

Honours

Plymouth Argyle

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Club list of registered players . English Football League . 20 May 2017 . 31 August 2017.
  2. Web site: Dan Scarr . 11v11.com . AFS Enterprises . 27 July 2022.
  3. Web site: Dan Scarr: Overview . Premier League . 27 July 2022.
  4. News: Hackett turns attention to Stour's forward line . Worcester News . 10 June 2015 . 31 August 2017.
  5. Web site: Dan Scarr . Stourbridge F.C. . 31 August 2017.
  6. Web site: Sport Awards 2013 . Sport Worcester . September 2013 . 31 August 2017.
  7. News: Former Worcester City striker Mark Owen: I knew Birmingham City signing Dan Scarr would make a top centre-back when he joined my academy . Geoff . Berkeley . Worcester News . 25 January 2017 . 31 August 2017.
  8. News: Maye the latest new face at United . Redditch Advertiser . 18 June 2014 . 1 September 2017.
  9. News: Birmingham City's Dan Scarr: From Rubery fitness trainer to Blues pro . Mat . Kendrick . Birmingham Mail . 26 January 2017 . 1 September 2017.
  10. News: Wycombe 2 Stourbridge 1: Heartbreak for non-league side as Cup dream is ended by Adebayo Akinfenwa . Jim . White . The Daily Telegraph . London . 7 January 2017 . 1 September 2017.
    News: Highlights: Wycombe 2–1 Stourbridge . BBC Sport . 7 January 2017 . 2 September 2017.
  11. Web site: Maguire takes the Premier Player of the Year Award at the NPL awards night . nonleague.pitchero.com . 10 April 2017 . 2 September 2017.
  12. News: Stourbridge FA Cup goal hero Dan Scarr lands trial with West Bromwich Albion . Express & Star . Wolverhampton . 11 January 2017 . 1 September 2017.
  13. News: Glassboys boss urges supporters to be patient with Blues new boy Scarr . Mark . Carruthers . Non-League Daily . January 2017 . 1 September 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170913044650/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/top-stories/glassboys-boss-urges-supporters-be-patient-with-blues-new-boy-scarr.html . 13 September 2017 . dead .
  14. News: Birmingham City transfer news: Stourbridge star Dan Scarr signs for Blues . Aidan . McCartney . Birmingham Mail . 23 January 2017 . 1 September 2017.
  15. News: Birmingham City: Dan Scarr on his dream move, a set-back and what next season holds . Joseph . Chapman . Birmingham Mail . 19 July 2017 . 1 September 2017.
  16. News: Dan Scarr: Wycombe Wanderers sign Birmingham City defender on loan . BBC Sport . 31 August 2017 . 2 September 2017.
  17. Web site: D. Scarr . Soccerway . Perform Group . 12 September 2017.
  18. News: Mansfield Town 0–0 Wycombe Wanderers . BBC Sport . 12 September 2017 . 12 September 2017.
  19. News: Shaun Miller becomes first player to be retrospectively suspended for diving . The Guardian . London . 20 October 2017 . 8 July 2018.
  20. News: Dan Scarr: Wycombe Wanderers extend defender's loan until the end of the season . BBC Sport . 11 December 2017 . 11 December 2017.
  21. News: Coventry City 3 Wycombe Wanderers 2 reaction: McNulty and Doyle fire Sky Blues into fourth . Andy . Turner . Coventry Telegraph . 22 December 2017 . 24 December 2017.
  22. News: Preview: Wycombe Wanderers hope defenders Dan Scarr and Joe Jacobson will be fit for Barnet game at The Hive . Bucks Free Press . 17 March 2018 . 8 July 2018.
  23. News: Wycombe Wanderers: Gareth Ainsworth feels promotion has 'turned League Two on head' . BBC Sport . 30 April 2018 . 8 July 2018.
  24. News: Dan Scarr: Walsall sign Birmingham defender on two-and-a-half-year deal . BBC Sport . 21 January 2019 . 18 February 2019.
  25. News: Walsall's Dan Scarr departs for Plymouth . Liam . Keen . Express & Star . Wolverhampton . 10 June 2021 . 7 August 2021.
  26. Web site: Scarr signs . Plymouth Argyle F.C. . 10 June 2021 . 9 October 2022.
  27. News: Rotherham United 2–0 Plymouth Argyle . BBC Sport . 7 August 2021 . 7 August 2021.
  28. News: https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/plymouth-supporters-react-to-dan-scarr-moment-in-argyle-title-celebrations/. Plymouth supporters react to Dan Scarr moment in Argyle title celebrations. Football League World. 9 May 2023. 7 May 2024.
  29. News: Plymouth defender Scarr signs new deal . BBC Sport . 27 May 2023 . 28 May 2023.
  30. News: Plymouth Argyle defender Dan Scarr joins Wrexham for undisclosed fee . Chris . Errington . The Herald . Plymouth . 2 August 2023 . 3 August 2023.
  31. Web site: 1st team 2015/16 season: Dan Scarr . Stourbridge F.C. . 31 August 2017.
  32. Web site: 1st team 2016/17 season: Dan Scarr . Stourbridge F.C. . 31 August 2017.
  33. News: 7 May 2023 . Plymouth beat Port Vale to win League One title . BBC Sport . 4 August 2023.
  34. Web site: Pilnick . Brent . 2 April 2023 . Bolton crush Plymouth to win Papa Johns Trophy . 4 August 2023 . BBC Sport.