Dru Yearwood | |
Fullname: | Dru Anthony Yearwood[1] |
Birth Date: | 17 February 2000[2] |
Birth Place: | Harlow, England |
Height: | 1.73m (05.68feet) |
Position: | Midfielder[3] |
Currentclub: | Nashville SC |
Clubnumber: | 16 |
Youthyears1: | 2007–2011 |
Youthclubs1: | Arsenal |
Youthyears2: | 2011–2017 |
Youthclubs2: | Southend United |
Years1: | 2017–2019 |
Clubs1: | Southend United |
Caps1: | 53 |
Goals1: | 0 |
Years2: | 2019–2020 |
Clubs2: | Brentford |
Caps2: | 2 |
Goals2: | 0 |
Years3: | 2020–2023 |
Clubs3: | New York Red Bulls |
Caps3: | 86 |
Goals3: | 3 |
Years4: | 2024– |
Clubs4: | Nashville SC |
Caps4: | 0 |
Goals4: | 0 |
Dru Anthony Yearwood (born 17 February 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Nashville SC of Major League Soccer. He is a product of the Arsenal and Southend United youth systems and began his senior career with Southend. He further played one season for Brentford.
Yearwood was born in Harlow, Essex.[2] He is of Barbadian descent,[4] through his father.[5]
After spending four years with the Arsenal academy,[6] Yearwood moved to the Southend United youth system at the age of 11 and graduated to the first team squad in July 2017,[7] [8] when he signed a four-year professional contract.[9] He was a regular member of the team during the 2017–18 and 2018–19 League One seasons and he was nominated for the LFE Apprentice of the Year award at the 2018 EFL Awards.[10] [11]
Yearwood signed for Championship club Brentford on 5 August 2019, on a four-year contract, with the option of a further year, for an undisclosed fee.[12] Throughout the 2019–2020 season and Brentford's promotion push, Yearwood only made two appearances in the league and three other appearances in the Cups.[13] He left the club after one season in a bid to further his career and play more games.[14]
On 5 August 2020 it was announced that Yearwood joined Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls.[15] Yearwood was signed on a Young Designated Player deal. Yearwood made his debut for the Red Bulls coming on as a substitute in a 3–0 loss against the Philadelphia Union.[16] On 11 September 2021, Yearwood scored his first senior goal in a 1–1 draw against DC United. On 24 July 2022, Yearwood scored his first of the season and assisted on another goal for New York in a 4–3 victory over Austin FC.[17] For his efforts during the match, Yearwood was named to the MLS Team of the Week.[18] On 2 August 2022, Yearwood opened the scoring for New York in a 5–4 loss to Colorado Rapids.[19] On 9 September 2022, Yearwood was fined and suspended for four games following an incident at the end of a match against the Philadelphia Union on 3 September where, in a moment of frustration, he kicked the ball into the stands which subsequently struck a fan in the face. Yearwood apologized for his actions via the team's Twitter account.[20]
Yearwood was acquired by Nashville SC on 11 December 2023.[21]
Yearwood was born in England and is of Barbadian descent. He was called up to represent the Barbados national team for a friendly against Saint Lucia in 2016, but did not make an appearance. Yearwood was called into the England U18 squad for the 2018 Panda Cup,[22] but a hamstring injury prevented his participation.[23]
Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
Southend United | 2017–18 | League One | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 0 | |
2018–19 | League One | 27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 33 | 0 | ||
Total | 53 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 62 | 0 | |||
Brentford | Championship | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ― | 5 | 0 | |||
New York Red Bulls | 2020 | Major League Soccer | 12 | 0 | ― | ― | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |||
2021 | Major League Soccer | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ― | 1 | 0 | 30 | 1 | |||
2022 | Major League Soccer | 25 | 2 | 3 | 0 | ― | 0 | 0 | 28 | 2 | |||
2023 | Major League Soccer | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
Total | 86 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 99 | 3 | |||
Career total | 141 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 166 | 3 |
Individual