New roles for local boy Brown after announcing retirement

One of the most successful Central Coast products of the past decade, Brown will step away from the playing field at the conclusion of the Mariners? pre-season trial match program to assume the role of Youth Development Co-ordinator with his hometown club.
In this new role, Brown will assist Mariners Development Manager and NYL coaching spearhead Alex Tobin and will also oversee the implementation of the Mariners? school holiday camps ? week long coaching clinics that will cater for boys and girls aged between 6 and 14 years.
With tertiary qualifications in Exercise Science and Secondary Education, Brown is an absolutely ideal candidate to organise the Mariners? latest community initiative, which will kick off for the first time during July?s school holiday period.
Specific to the role of assisting Tobin, Brown will develop and monitor the Mariners? Youth Academy structures both on the Central Coast and at each of the seven grassroots associations across the state that the Mariners have formalised partnerships with.
“From day one, Damien has been as genuine a club and family man at the Mariners as anyone could ever hope to meet and we?re truly thankful for his outstanding contribution to the success of the Mariners on and off the pitch,” said Mariners Executive Chairman Lyall Gorman.
“It is indeed a tremendous coup for our club to be able to draw upon Damien?s expertise away from the pitch now that he has decided to put his playing days behind him and I?m delighted that we will continue to involve this exceptional individual in the day to day operations of the Mariners.”
Brown retires from competitive football having accumulated 58 appearances in all competitions for the Mariners over three seasons and netting three goals in such time.
Prior to linking with the Mariners, Brown had made a further 98 appearances in the National Soccer League across three clubs ? the Newcastle Breakers, the Canberra Cosmos and the Parramatta Power.
Most memorably, Brown was a cornerstone member of the Mariners? unforgettable inaugural campaign by making an appearance in twenty Hyundai A-League matches, including a start in the Hyundai A-League Grand Final.
“I?ve dedicated the better part of the past two decades to professional and semi-professional football and I strongly believe that now is the best possible time for me to close that chapter of my life and start a new one,” said Brown.
“I?ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Mariners as a professional player and with my added experience as a school teacher I?m really looking forward to making the transition to the field of youth development, where I?ll relish the chance to continue to work with the fantastic players and administration that we have at the club at present.
“Nurturing the development of our youth and grassroots relationships on the Central Coast and its surrounding regions is paramount to the future success of the Mariners and for football in Australia in general and I?m very much looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead.
“I?m also very thankful for the opportunity to work alongside Alex Tobin in the NYL which in itself is very exciting for everyone involved with the game.”