Darren Burnett – Arbroath Football Club Ambassador
(Pictured – Arbroath Chairman Mike Caird, Darren Burnett, Arbroath Vice Chairman Ewen West)
Arbroath Football Club are delighted to announce that Arbroath Bowler Darren Burnett has become an official Ambassador of Arbroath Football Club.
Darren who has twice won Commonwealth Gold as well as winning 10 World Titles and joins ATP World Tennis Star Jonny O’Mara, former professional golfer and legendary Golf Commentator Ewen Murray and PDC Darts star Alan Soutar.
As well as playing bowls around the world, Darren is a very “well-kent-face” around Arbroath, from his work as a police community officer as well as being down at Gayfield as a season ticket holder for many years cheering on the Lichties. On top of all of this Darren is now a coach for the Girls U11 team for the Arbroath Community Sports Club.
Darren said “I am delighted to join Jonny, Ewen and Alan and look forward to helping the club and working in partnership in any way we can. I am proud of what I have achieved in my own sport so far and always enjoy getting Arbroath recognised on the sporting map.
We have produced many talented individuals over the years for our town size and the current achievements being reached by the players, management and board at the football club has created a great community spirit.”
Proudly representing Scotland Darren has played for his country on numerous occasions at the very top with his most notable victories coming in the Commonwealth games where he secured Gold in the 2014 Glasgow games for the Men’s singles, then winning a second gold in Australia 4 years later in the Men’s Triples alongside Ronnie Duncan and Derek Oliver.
Success has also come 4 times in the World Outdoor Championships where he won silver in the 2008 Christchurch finals in the Men’s Pairs, before winning a gold and bronze in Adelaide in 2012 in first the Men’s triples and then the Men’s fours before he added another bronze in the Men’s singles in Christchurch in 2016.
Turning to the World Indoor Bowls Championships Darren has 3 golds, winning his first in 2014 in the Singles, before winning gold twice in 2016 in the open pairs and also the mixed pairs.
Darren’s first major honours came in 1999 by winning the World Indoor Junior Singles Gold Medal which he won for four consecutive years before being eliminated by age. Further gold medals have been achieved at National and British Isles Indoor Championships where Darren became the first Scottish player to win every National and British Discipline including pairs and Triples wins with his late Father, Willie and Brother, Ryan. Darren has also been the Scottish Outdoor National Singles Champion in 1999, 2002 and 2005 which is a record he shares with Joesph Black, David Dall and Robert Sprot.
Hoping to add more medals to his already huge collection Darren was selected for the 2020 World Outdoor Bowls Championship in Australia but unfortunately due to Covid that event was cancelled.
However Darren, who is currently number 11 in the World Rankings (his highest ranking position was number 3 back in 2011) is hoping that he will be again competing in the 2022 Commonwealth Games which will be held in Birmingham where will be cheering him on again!
Mike Caird, Arbroath Football Club Chairman says “ I’m delighted to welcome Darren as our latest Ambassador. The great success that Darren has enjoyed over the years in bowls has not only taken him to the very top of his sport but has helped put his home town of Arbroath firmly on the sporting map.”
You can follow Darren on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DarrenBurnett21
Arbroath Football Club is proud to have fans from far and wide, and we are excited to announce the appointment of Darren as our newest Ambassador.
C’mon the Lichties!
