In the third of a four-part series looking on the best part of a decade at Old Bath Road, the S&C ace explores a change of role and helping Instagram hit the heights!
It was the summer of 2024 which saw Daryl take on the manager role, but unsurprisingly he threw his all into it, explaining: “It came about in odd times because Matt (Maxwell) had done such a brilliant job for more than a decade.
“But I’ve always felt I’m an organised person, and a lot of the stuff I had to do was what I’d done when I was working at school – working with people, logistics etc.
“I always enjoyed that stuff so taking on the role was never an issue, but almost straight away I was reminded the club is ever-evolving and wants to get better.
“I suggested we get a van for the kit and immediately Andy Lynch says yes – its stuff like that which keeps pushing things forward.
“To me we were becoming more and more professional and it was one of my goals when I took the job – I didn’t want to take the job with the attitude I’m just here for another few years with my mates.”
‘Owen is just top class’
While he discusses key figures further in the final part of his exit interview, Daryl was quick to reaffirm his praise for one of his major mentors as key in helping him adapt to new situations.
He explained: “Owen (Root’s) first year in teaching, I was in Sixth Form, and most people at Rams will only know him from coaching, but he’s a fantastic teacher.
“One of his first lessons was about ‘first impressions’. We were in the sixth form room doing a PE module and he walked in with a snap-back hat on, an oversized baggie hoodie and tracksuit bottoms with one leg pulled up to the knee.
“He said ‘first impressions’ and I thought this guy is top class.
“A few years later I went back as a sort of PE admin assistant, so I’d be helping out in lessons where maybe there were 35 pupils to one teacher and they needed a bit of help with numbers, setting up equipment etc.
“Then it transitioned so I began teaching my own lessons, under Owen’s guidance – he was giving me advice all the time – and I kind of learnt on the job.
“By the end I was doing a full timetable before going self-employed in personal training, at the Rams gym, so it all fell into place.”
Influencing the club’s Instagram growth
And alongside his other efforts with S&C and manager, Daryl also proved a social media whizz, significantly bolstering the Instagram output ahead of the Dublin tour in 2022.
From less than 2,000 followers the club is now closing on 6,000, and has the fourth-biggest backing in National One.
Daryl added: “I always tried to see things from a player’s point of view, wanting to get them excited about things, so we started putting together these videos of them in the gym because it shared a light on their work.
“We wanted to capture the behind-the-scenes moments because the players deserve the spotlight.
“Dublin was an eye-opener into how much work everyone did – it was three or four days of pure carnage on every level – and got the creative juices flowing.
“Playing a game underneath the Aviva Stadium was something not many people get to do, and it felt a fantastic opportunity to put some content together.
“I hope our audience realised it was a cool thing, and I’m glad it’s kept growing.”
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To read the first and second parts of Daryl’s memories, click the links before!
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