Rangers cult hero with 'passion for developing talented players' lands shock first manager's job in Scotland
It's the Spaniard’s first dugout role in Scottish football, having previously coached in the United States
Rangers hero Nacho Novo has landed his first managerial gig in Scottish football after being named as manager of West of Scotland First Division side Darvel.
The 46-year-old Spaniard has left his coaching role at West of Scotland Premier Division side Drumchapel United where he has been for the past 12 months.
Darvel teased on social media on Saturday night that they were appointing a “Nnew manager” on Sunday afternoon, alluding to it being Novo as did the use of the phrase “Darvel, brace yourselves”.
And Novo has now been announced Michael Oliver’s successor at Recreation Park after he left the club last month, getting the nod over former Whitletts Victoria boss Graeme Neil.
Darvel are in the seventh tier of Scottish football, but have gone backwards since famously dumping Jim Goodwin’s Aberdeen out of the Scottish Cup three years ago.
At that point Novo had ended his playing career and moved into coaching in the United States, serving as assistant manager at Lexington Sporting Club in the USL League One before being put in charge of the club’s Under 23s.
A club statement read: “Darvel FC are delighted to announce the appointment of Nacho Novo as the club’s new first team manager. Nacho brings a wealth of experience and a passion for developing talented players, and we look forward to working together as we continue to build for the future. Welcome to Darvel FC, Nacho!”
Novo shot to stardom more than 20 years ago when he played for Raith Rovers and Dundee after arriving from Huesca in his homeland. His performances earned him a move to Ibrox where he spent six seasons and became a firm favourite among the Light Blues’ fanbase.
He would win six trophies with the Gers and memorably scored the winning penalty in the shoot-out against Italian side Fiorentina to secure a place in the 2008 Uefa Cup final.
He left Rangers to join Sporting Gijon in 2010 and also had a short stint in the Polish top flight with Legia Warsaw where he lifted the Polish Cup in 2012.
Further spells would follow with hometown club Huesca, Greenock Morton, Carlisle United, Carolina Railhawks in the US and Glentoran in Northern Ireland before hanging up his boots in 2017.