Inverurie Locos assistant manager Steven Park will end 26 years of service to the club after Saturday’s Breedon Highland League game against Nairn County.
The 42-year-old has started a new job as a project engineer and has decided now is the right time to step down.
As a player Park made more than 500 appearances for the Railwaymen before retiring in 2013.
After that he worked with Inverurie’s under-17 development team before stepping up to become assistant manager to Scott Buchan in 2016.
He has also served in the same role under Neil Cooper, Andy Low and current boss Richard Hastings.
Park said: “I started a new job last week as a project engineer and I feel I need to give it my full focus.
“There will be a bit more expected of me in terms of hours and people involved in Highland League will know being involved in the Highland League takes up a good bit of your time.
“Players have got questions every day, you’re sending out reminders about training and finding out who’s fit.
“We’re doing all the lateral flow tests just now and getting responses back from them all.
“So it takes up a lot of your day on top of your job, and ultimately the football is a hobby and it’s the day job that pays the bills.
“It can take over a large chunk of your time and it’s 26 years since I first played for Locos and that amount of years sitting on a bus every second Saturday takes its toll.
“I’ve got a wife and two daughters, so I need to spend a bit more time with them as well.”
Locos the only club for Park
Park joined Inverurie in 1996 and having enjoyed success in the Junior ranks he captained the club when they stepped up to the Highland League in 2001.
The defender helped Locos win the Highland League Cup in 2007-08 and 2008-09, the Qualifying Cup in 2004-05 and 2005-06, the Aberdeenshire Shield in 2003-04 and the SFA North Region Challenge Cup in 2008-09.
Park doesn’t have any plans to return to football with another club, and added: “This will be me finished, because I’ve had an association with Locos for 26 years.
“When I stopped playing, I had a couple of offers from other Highland League clubs and I turned them down because it didn’t feel right.
“Having been loyal to Locos, I couldn’t pull on another jersey in the Highland League.
“That’s the same with coaching and management – I couldn’t do it. If I wanted to be somewhere it would only be Locos.”
Treasured memories
Park has plenty of memorable moments to look back on during his quarter of a century of service to Inverurie.
“There’s been so many highlights and each season brings good points and low points,” he said.
“I won the league when we were still in the Juniors in my first couple of seasons, which was really good.
“Then we came into the Highland League and the step up was great for the club and I was captain at that time.
“Being a local boy and captaining the club was a proud moment, and then we won the first trophy after stepping up with the Aberdeenshire Shield.
“We kept growing. When we first went into the league the aim was to be middle of the table and get 40 points, but we grew and grew and started challenging for leagues and won the Qualifying Cup and the League Cup, which was great.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of good people at the club and I’d like to thank the committee who volunteer their time and give us the opportunity to play and also the fans and sponsors who support the club.”
Future bright for Inverurie
Looking to the future, Park believes Inverurie will enjoy success under manager Hastings.
He said: “I sat down with Mike Macaulay (chairman) and Graeme Hay (vice-chairman) last week to let them know my position and one of the things I pointed out was that I think they’ve made a great appointment in Richard.
“He’s very professional in what does, he’s relentless. In training he works to a standard and it’s high paced.
“That’s what he takes into a Saturday. For the 90 minutes, he’s constantly encouraging the players and trying to get the most out of them.
“I think Locos will go on to be successful under Richard.
“I’ll definitely miss being involved, but there’s always the highs to look back on.
“I think the biggest thing you miss is the group and the changing room. Anyone will tell you it’s the banter and the gossip that you miss.”