Darius Charles

Wesley Darius Donald Charles (born 10 December 1987) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for EFL League One club AFC Wimbledon. He has played in the English Football League for Brentford, Stevenage, Burton Albion and Wycombe Wanderers.

Charles started his career after progressing through the Brentford youth system and he made his first-team debut in 2005. He was loaned out by Brentford on seven occasions and he joined the last of these, Ebbsfleet United, permanently in 2009 in a historic transfer. Six months later, a proposed transfer to York City fell through, after he decided against moving to the city. He spent another season with Ebbsfleet before signing for Stevenage in 2010.

Club Career

Brentford

Charles first played football aged 11 while at school, for Greenford Celtic. He later played for Drayton Manor before signing for the Centre of Excellence at Brentford at age 10. He made his first-team debut as a left midfielder in a 2–1 victory over Hull City on 7 May 2005; the final day of the 2004–05 season. He made his first appearance of 2005–06 in the Football League Trophy against Oxford United, which finished as a 1–1 draw after extra time and a 4–3 defeat in a penalty shoot-out, while Charles played as a left-back. His first league appearance of the season came as an 88th minute substitute in a 1–1 draw with Chesterfield on 10 December 2005. He went on to play as a 32nd-minute substitute in a 3–3 draw with Bradford City on 2 January 2006, which proved to be his final appearance of the season for Brentford, which he finished with three appearances. In mid January 2006, he signed a one-year professional contract with a one-year option, effective from June 2006. He was loaned out to Conference South club Thurrock on 3 February 2006, where he made one appearance, in a 1–0 defeat to Weston-super-Mare. He was subsequently sent out to Yeading on 16 March 2006 on a work experience deal, and he made his debut in a 2–1 defeat to Eastbourne Boro