DARREN PURSE: CENTRAL DEFENDER

Club Captain Darren did not have a regular first-team place last season, having to compete with Roger Johnson and Glenn Loovens for a central-defensive spot. But he did play 17 Championship games and 3 Carling Cup matches. One of the latter was at Liverpool, in the Fourth Round when he scored in City's 2-1 defeat at the end of October. That was during a nine-match run in the starting line-up and his only other goal of 2007/08 came in the next match - a 1-1 home draw against Crystal Palace. Stepney-born Darren, a former England Under-21 International, began his career with Leyton Orient as a trainee. He became a full professional in February 1994, and joined Oxford United for £100,000 in July 1996. Birmingham City paid £800,000 for him in February 1998, and he was with them for six years before moving to nearby West Bromwich Albion for £500,000-plus in June 2004. He was one of Dave Jones's early signings for Cardiff City when he was transferred for £750,000 in early-August 2005.