Darren Barr

BEST MANAGER YOU PLAYED FOR?

IT would have to be John Hughes, who gave me my chance in the game. I need to give a wee shout to Brian Rice, his long term assistant, who was likewise always good with me.

BEST PLAYER YOU PLAYED WITH?

RUSSELL LATAPY was always very laid back, which would frustrate Yogi at times in a way that was amusing for the rest of us. But he gave any team he played for amazing quality.

BEST PLAYER YOU PLAYED AGAINST?

THERE are a few contenders here, to be fair. But Tottenham Hotspur’s £11m summer signing Victor Wanyama probably shades it. Not only is he incredibly strong and a real athlete, he is also a great footballer.

TURNING POINT IN YOUR CAREER?

MY loan spell with Forfar in the old Division Two in 2005 set up my breakthrough at Premier League level. Fair play to them for playing a young boy at centre-half.

BEST GOAL YOU SCORED?

I TOOK a bit of stick for my over-the-top celebrations after hitting the opener in the 2012 Scottish Cup Final. I couldn’t help myself because it was just a feeling of pure joy.

BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT IN YOUR CAREER?

CAPTAINING Falkirk as a 22-year-old was special. In 2008, I also became the first player from the club to win a Scotland cap since John White in 1959.

BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR CAREER?

MY youth coach, Ian McIntyre, for believing in me, and my family for all their support.

MOST MEMORABLE MATCH?

BEATING your city rivals 5-1 in a Scottish Cup Final, as Hearts did to Hibs in 2012, can’t really be topped. Playing against Liverpool, again with Hearts, in the Europa League qualifiers was a great experience as well.

BEST STORY ABOUT A TEAM-MATE?

THE sight of Michael Gardyne coming in all sweaty after training at Kilmarnock, then putting on Kris Boyd’s smart suit over his gear and doing chin-ups. Very funny.

SECRET ABOUT YOU?

WHILE I am keen to get into coaching once I finish playing, I am in the process of doing a sixweek tiling course organised by PFA Scotland. I also like to play the guitar. But no-one is ever going to pay me to do that – no-one who has heard me play anyway!

BEFORE playing for his current club Dumbarton, DARREN BARR starred for Falkirk and Hearts and enjoyed spells with Kilmarnock, Ross County and Forfar (on loan). Here he talks DANNY STEWART through the highlights of a career, which include a Scotland cap...