Hibs stalwart announces retirement - and will take up Easter Road coaching role

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Darren McGregor will retire from football when his Hibs contract runs out this summer but the veteran defender will remain at Easter Road in a new role with the club’s academy.

The 37-year-old has been involved in 13 cinch Premiership matchday squads under Lee Johnson but hasn’t made an appearance, with most of his time spent coaching the club’s under-18s and performing a player-coach role with the Hibs development squad.

When McGregor’s deal expires he will move into a full-time role as the head coach of the Capital club’s under-18s, extending his stay at his boyhood club into an eighth season. He joined Hibs in the summer of 2015 and was part of the team that went onto win the Scottish Cup in May the following year, playing the full match as Hibs came from behind to beat his former side Rangers 3-2 at Hampden Park. He also helped the side to the Scottish Championship title and a return to the top flight the following season and has captained the team on numerous occasions.

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The uncompromising centre-back’s last first-team involvement on the pitch came in the 4-0 home victory over St Johnstone in May last year but he has been a regular performer for the development squad, who won the SPFL Reserve League title after an unbeaten campaign. He calls time on his career having made 188 appearances for Hibs, scoring eight goals.

Darren McGregor will move into full-time coachingDarren McGregor will move into full-time coaching
Darren McGregor will move into full-time coaching

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 Evans, Steve Kean, and a lot of the other coaches here. Now, I am delighted to be able to stay at the club and take that next step in my career – helping to develop the next generation of future first-team players through coaching the under-18s next season.”

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