Ex-Aberdeen star Zander Diamond opens up on new goals at St Patrick's FPs

As a player Zander Diamond played more than 200 SPL games, won a league title in English football and represented Scotland B.

And earlier this month the former Aberdeen star agreed to join Johnny O’Brien’s coaching team at St Patrick’s FPs.

Now the Bellsmyre man is hoping his experience can help drive the Saints to the next level.

Diamond told the Lennox: “I know the proud history of the FPs having been brought up in Dumbarton, my uncle Stephen played for them so I grew up watching them on Saturdays.

“Johnny invited me to training to take a couple of sessions and I agreed. I hadn’t been doing anything since I left Queen’s Park as a coach.

“I had a few discussions after training and I enjoyed the vision and ambition Johnny had for the club going forward.

“It whetted my appetite and it was something I wanted to be a part of.

“Throughout the latter half of my career I started to write down a lot of notes.

“Football coaches and managers are the best thieves out there. We take a bit from every coach and manager we’ve worked under.

“I had a great grounding at Aberdeen with Jimmy Calderwood and Jimmy Nicholl who I’m still in contact with to this day. They still give me words of wisdom and advice.

“Down south I won a title under Chris Wilder, I worked with Gary Rowett who is at Millwall now.

“I spoke to (Stevenage boss) Steve Evans last week and he was asking about St Patrick’s. He was excited when he heard the plans.

“I worked under Craig Brown and Archie Knox too. You need to use everything you’ve learned as a player in coaching.”

The 37-year-old now hopes to use his profile and contacts to help St Pat’s grow.

He continued: “St Pat’s are a family club and we are trying to strive to become a community club.

“In my 18 years of