Darren McGregor would ‘love’ coaching job at Hibernian

Darren McGregor admitted he is ready for the “next chapter” as he resigned himself to the likelihood that his time as a Hibernian player is over.

The 36-year-old became a Hibees favourite in 2016 when he won the Scottish Cup at the end of his first season with the club he supported as a boy.

However, after seven seasons at Easter Road, the no-nonsense centre-back acknowledges he has fallen down the pecking order and is preparing to speak with the club’s hierarchy about the possibility of taking on a coaching role.

“I have a year left but I’m not naive, I am 37 in August,” he said. “I’m still a young man in normal terms but it is getting harder.

“I don’t want to block the pathway for younger guys coming up. I will need to have a conversation with the powers that be whether I can transition into something else.

“I worked so hard to get here and if I wasn’t playing for Hibs I would struggle to see myself playing for anyone else.

“If there was an opportunity to transition here into coaching I would love to look into that. I have been here a long time and loved every minute of it and I would do anything for this club.

“Whatever capacity they see me in then I would be keen to take it. I started at nearly 25 (in full-time football) when I signed for St Mirren.

“I’m 37 in August, I’ve had some bad injuries, plenty of highs and lows. If someone said to me when I had a proper job at 24 that I would still be playing now after winning the Scottish Cup with Hibs at 30 I would not have believed them.

“Whatever step I do take, whatever I apply myself at I know I can be good at. It could be a good next chapter for me.”

Although he still feels capable of playing at a decent level, McGregor admits he would find it difficult to drop down