By Neil Ravenscroft
August 6 2003

Most Walsall fan's reaction to the news this morning of our interest in the player would be Darius who? So who, exactly, is Colin Lee's new target? As said in the story when it was released, he's a 6 foot 1 inch centre forward. But what else do we know about him?

He was born in Doncaster on 7.9.81, and was originally on the books of Leeds United between the ages of 11 and 16, but was released upon leaving school. He moved south and joined
Reading's Academy.

He became the first Academy player to sign professional terms with Reading in December 1999 before the FA Cup game with Plymouth. In January 2001 he had a week's trial with Charlton Athletic, playing half an hour in a reserve game v West Ham.


The local paper down there had this to say about him:-

TIME TO SHINE –– Darius Henderson can force his way into Reading’s side this season.

MANAGER Alan Pardew has tipped Darius Henderson to finally prove he’s a top-class striker and capable of firing Royals to promotion.
Henderson, aged 21, has been on the scene for a couple of seasons now, but his progress has
been halted by a succession of niggling knee injuries.
He now looks to have overcome those problems and showed his versatility by playing wide
on the left of midfield in the final few games of the season.
And Pardew revealed: "I'm really hoping this will be Darius’s year.
He's been unlucky with injuries, but I feel he's got the ability to be a top player for us.
I see him on the training ground and he's awesome and I want that reflected on the pitch.
If he gets a run of first-team games he can be another Harper or Shorey."

Henderson has a career total of fifteen goals, eleven of which came in a prolific 2001-02
campaign. As Reading marched into Division One, he played a big pre-Christmas role before succumbing to a series of niggling injury problems.

He missed two relatively easy chances against the Dingles in the play off game, though!

One interesting fact is that he is, apparantly, one of the very few players to have scored directly from a restart after the law was changed!

He will be out of contract with Reading next year.