Yahoo News New Stoke City transfer chief Lee Darnbrough's best and worst Hull City signings and what to expect
Lee Darnbrough has arrived at Stoke City in a key role as head of recruitment at the start of a pivotal summer transfer window. It is not a one-man band controlling who comes in or who goes out but the 46-year-old will clearly have a major influence on how the squad takes shape.
So what can head coach Steven Schumacher, sporting director Jon Walters and supporters expect from Darnbrough, who has held a similar title at Hull for the past seven years? Barry Cooper, Hull reporter for Hull Live, has helped to give an insight into a new big figure behind the scenes at Clayton Wood.
What kind of head of recruitment are Stoke getting in Lee Darnbrough? Does he try to sign a certain type of player? Or from a certain place?
Barry Cooper: Stoke are getting a good bloke and one who knows the Championship very well. He's been at City for seven years and has seen plenty of change both at the club and across the transfer market. He knows English football well and naturally, tailors his approach to that of the club. At City, he worked under the much-maligned Allam family at a time when they were cutting budgets, had to work under a transfer embargo, during Covid and then through Acun Ilicali's takeover. The part he played in helping the Tigers recover from their disastrous relegation in 2020 to winning League One was particularly impressive.
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Who are the best and worst signings during his time at Hull City?
That's a tough one. The likes of Greg Docherty, Lewie Coyle, Mallik Wilks, Alfie Jones and Richie Smallwood all proved to be major signings between the Covid-hit season ending and the new campaign starting in such a short space of time, and with limited funds. All of those were crucial in winning League One and promotion back to the Championship. Coyle has gone on to become one of the best right-backs in the Championship while Alfie Jones is regarded as one of the best central defenders outside the Premier League.
Regan Slater was signed for £50,000 from Sheffield United and has become a really good Championship midfielder, but there were flops like Jordan Flores and Thomas Mayer, albeit signed when the club were working under a transfer embargo during the Allam regime. Reece Burke arrived in 2018 and ended up playing for Luton in the Premier League, so players with pedigree and potential were signed. I think most would regard his work as positive, but like with any person in his position at any club, there are so many factors that go into how effective they can be and much of that isn't seen by the public.
Also, when there is consistently such a big turnover of players like there has been at City over the past five or six years, you will get ones that work and ones that do not, such is the nature of the transfer market.
Has his role changed as the club has evolved under different owners and managers?
It has. It's probably fair to say his role is slightly different under Acun Ilicali's tenure to what it was when the Allams ran the club. Since the takeover in January 2022, City have operated a more continental approach with how they conduct their transfer work and he's opted to move on.
How will he be remembered at Hull City, by supporters and by the people who worked with him?
I think fans have a mixed view but as I say, perhaps without the full picture of what the role actually looks like. I often wonder if clubs should be more open when it comes to what their head of recruitment actually does and help people understand. Those who worked with him respect him and so, too, do people in football, which is always a fairly good yardstick. He leaves City with goodwill and having made a positive impact in his seven years. Football moves on and so do people.
