22 SPORT
Ryan committed to Hearts
Hibs stalwart Darren
McGregor to retire
and take up new post
New role for Daz
By JOHN HISLOP
HIBERNIAN FC has confirmed that Darren
McGregor will retire at the end of the 2022/23
season and take up a new role with the
Club’s Academy.
From supporter to player, McGregor will
go down in Hibernian FC history for the
impact he has had on the Football Club.
The 37-year-old’s retirement comes after
eight seasons in his beloved Hibs green and
white. He joined the Club back in 2015, and
Daz went on to make 188 appearances for the
Hibees scoring eight goals.
In that time, McGregor was part of the
legendary Scottish Cup winning team of 2016
and helped the Easter Road side earn
promotion back to The Scottish Premiership
during the following season.
Daz captained Hibs on several occasions
during his time on the first team, before moving
into a player/coaching role at the start of the
current campaign working with the
Development Squad and the U18s.
A born and bred Hibee, McGregor is staying
with the club, and will take up the role of U18
Head Coach for next season as he moves into
the next stage of his coaching career.
After his retirement was confirmed and
looking ahead to his new role, Darren
McGregor said: “It has been an absolute
privilege to live my dream of playing for Hibs. It
has been an honour to play for the club that I
have grown up supporting all my life and I am
so thankful to have been given that first
opportunity at the age of 30.
“I never imagined going on to have the career
that I have had and to win the Scottish Cup was
just the pinnacle.
“This last year has been really beneficial for
me to make that gradual transition from playing
to coaching and I have learned a lot from the
likes of Gareth, Steve and a lot of the other
coaches here at the Club.
“Now, I am delighted to be able to stay at the
Club and take the next step in my career-helping to develop the next generation of
future First Team players through coaching the
U18s next season.”
Daz delivered the match ball ahead of the
cinch Premiership clash with Celtic when
supporters had the chance to thank him for his
contribution to the Club.By STAFF REPORTERRYAN DUNCAN has become the
latest player to commit his future to
Hearts, signing a one-year extension
that will keep him at Tynecastle
Park until the summer of 2024.
Acquired from Rangers last
summer, the attacking midfielder
has been a key player for the
Under-18s this campaign.
Following his arrival, he quickly
established himself as a regular
for the side - racking up
29 appearances, notching
seven goals and registering nineassists in the process.
Deployed primarily in midfield
for most of the season but also
utilised as a wide forward and as a
nine due to his ball carrying and
finishing ability, Ryan is a player
capable of fashioning chances out
of very little, with an ability to go
past players with ease thanks to his
low centre of gravity and vision.
This sparkling form also saw
him turn out for the B Team:
making fourteen outings and
scoring once in the Lowland
League. Hopes are high at
Tynecastle he’ll be able to kick oneven further in a maroon jersey.
Sporting Director Joe Savage
said: “We’re really pleased. After
speaking to the coaching staff,
we knew there was more to come
with Ryan.
“He’s shown good form for the
18s, and we’re hopeful that will
translate to a new setting going
forward. Ryan’s a talented player
with a good pedigree - he’s one we
felt was definitely worth a new
contract with the B Team
“Ryan’s done well this past year
and now, for him, it’s a case of
kicking on next season for Hearts.”McGregor in action
for his beloved HibsMcDermott
loves a challenge
By JOHN HISLOPHIBS NEW DIRECTOR of Football Brian
McDermott says that he wants to involve
himself in every aspect of the club
because he “loves a challenge”.
McDermott brings with him a great deal
of experience at every level, having
played the game in his early days before
moving into coaching, management,
scouting and recruitment at various top
level clubs like Reading, Leeds, Arsenal
and Celtic.
McDermott outlined his reasons for
joining the Club in the first place –
highlighting the staff and the fanbase as
two major factors.
He said: “This club is a community club,
I really like that aspect of Hibs. After
meeting the Manager, the Board and the
Chief Executive I just gravitated towards
the Club, I knew it was something
I wanted to be a part of.POWER OF THE PEOPLE
“The broader thing for me is about people.
Football clubs are all about people and
there are good people at this football club.
I got a brilliant welcome from everyone.
“Hibs get 15-20,000 coming through the
door to watch our games. There is a big
fanbase here and it’s exciting.
“There are big clubs in this league, big
rivalries, and it’s competitive. This is a really
exciting project, a real challenge but I am
looking forward to every moment.
“Everyone will have an opinion on what
success looks like. For me – I want to be
there for everyone. I like to involve myself
in every part of the football club because I
love it. I love a challenge, I love finding new
players – that is a challenge I really relish.
“The recruitment side is important. We
need to recruit the best players we can for
what the Manager wants – I will be very
involved with the current recruitment staff
that we have already.
“I’ve scouted in this country many times.
I was at Arsenal for a long time looking at
players from all over the world, including
Scotland. I worked with Celtic and helped
them sign a lot of the players that are
currently playing for them today. I know
this market well, I understand football in
this country and I did it quietly.
“At Reading we didn’t have the biggest
budget but we found players - experienced
players and the right players. It’s all about
finding the right mixture of players that
can make a difference.There are some
really good things going on at the moment
at Hibs and I just want to add to that and
help the Club in every way I can.”Matteo ZaraIan Jacobs