Football manager who is also a star at selling property

Since he was aged four, football has been the number one passion for ex-Aberdeen FC captain Darren Young. The 44-year-old would spend hours kicking a ball with younger brother Derek in the garden of their Cambuslang home.

Fast forward six years and the brothers began training with the Dons – the start of a playing career which also saw Darren play for Dundee and Dunfermline.

As he moved towards part-time football his attention turned to thinking of something to “supplement” his football.

Eight years later the dadof-one is now an awardwinning estate agent for Remax, and combines selling properties across the country, with football management.

Darren, who has seven Scotland under-21 caps, said: “I was in the middle of doing my coaching to get my badges and my foot in the door.

“Someone I knew was working as an estate agent and it was a situation of trying to find a job to supplement the football.

“I’ve been doing it for about eight years now and am really enjoying the property side of things.

“I felt it was an easy transition for me. I felt comfortable learning the ropes and knew I could tie it in alongside the football.”

Darren, who covers the Lanarkshire area, has won a number of Remax awards including best sales executive.

He played more than 130 matches for the Dons and was named captain during the 2001-2002 season by manager Ebbe Skovdahl.

He has fond memories of his time in the Granite City and playing alongside brother Derek.

He said: “Derek and I started training for Aberdeen when we were 10 years old. We were also training with Hearts and

Rangers and it got to the point where we had to make a decision because we couldn’t be everywhere.

“We both chose Aberdeen and signed S-forms and at 16 we left school and had the opportunity to sign.

“I loved it at Aberdeen. It was a great time. I loved the place and the people were always good to us, unless you got beat.

“For the eight years I was there it was brilliant.”

Darren has since carved out a career in football management and has had no problems switching between the two professions.

He said: “It’s got its challenges but it was easy enough for me. It was three months before the end of the season and I thought I’d see how it goes.

“If I enjoyed it I would stick with it. Because I’ve always been coaching or playing football it was easy to tie in the viewings.

“Football is still my main aim and I’m hoping I can kick on with that.

“I’m obviously a few promotions and a few teams away from that yet but it’s something I know I

can fall back on and feel comfortable with.

“If football was over it’s something I can see myself continuing with.”

Darren’s first job was as player/manager of Albion Rovers in 2014 where he won the League Two championship and promotion in his first season.

Late in the 2016–17 season, Albion Rovers announced Darren would leave and in June 2017 he was named manager of League One club East Fife.

He was sacked in November 2021, but a month later took over as manager of Scottish League Two side Stirling Albion.

Darren, dad to five-and-ahalf-year-old Arlo, has

enjoyed success with The Binos guiding them to 21 wins, 10 draws and five defeats during the season, to secure the league title by 11 points from nearest rivals Dumbarton.

To top it off he was named League Two manager of the season.

Darren said: “The main aim last year was to try to achieve promotion and we felt we had a good enough squad to win the league or get to the playoffs.

“The way we’ve done it to come back from 11 points behind and then win it by 11 points was amazing.

“Shows you how good the spirit and the players are at the club to keep on going and have that mentality.

“We had a 19 games unbeaten run. To go half a season unbeaten was something else.”

Looking to next season Darren, who is engaged to partner Louise, said: “It’s going to be a lot harder. But we’ve got a strong core and can hopefully add another three or four players.

“We will go again and see if we can aim for the playoffs and see what happens.”

I knew I could tie it in alongside the football

DOUBLE: Ex-Dons captain Darren Young has also won awards as an estate agent.