NTFL premiership player and coach Darren Flanagan has died at the age of 55

Tributes have come in from all corners of the Darwin sporting community following the untimely death of a beloved former NTFL premiership player and coach.

Darren Flanagan will be remembered as a man of the highest integrity.

Darwin sporting identity and businessman Darren Flanagan will be remembered as a man of the highest integrity who gained respect from the people that knew him and returned it with a firm handshake and a big smile.

A premiership player and club captain at Southern Districts when the Crocodiles won their first NTFL senior flag under coach Mark Motlop in 1998, 55-year-old Flanagan died on May 20 as the result of brain cancer diagnosed two years previously.

He coached the Palmerston Magpies for four seasons from 2005 to 2009 after returning as a senior assistant coach and junior coach at St Mary’s where he had spent his formative years.

Darren Flanagan coached Palmerston between the 2005-06 and 2008-09 seasons.

Close friend and confidante Damian Hale, a three-time premiership coach and three-time premiership player at St Mary’s, played a major role in securing Flanagan as an important part of his coaching panel when the Saints won three senior flags in succession from 2003 to 2005.

“We played together at Saints where Darren’s handshake was his bond and this from a very private man who was very humble about his ability in everything he did in sport and life,” Hale said.

“Darren was very reliable and you could trust him, he was always happy and never seemed flustered or rushed as he quietly went about his business without big noting himself in any way.

“Flanno was always consistent, between a good day and a bad day there was very little change and as an assistant coach at St Mary’s he was great to have with his attempts to come up with a solution to a problem.”

Hale first met Flanagan when both men were students at St John’s College in Darwin and later as All-Australian schoolboy rugby union players in 1986.

Darren Flanagan coached Palmerston and also worked as St Mary’s assistant coach in an impressive NTFL career. Picture: Patrina Malone

“Darwin’s sporting circles will be the poorer for losing him, he was also a successful businessman with Flanno’s Eggs who loved his footy and helping out wherever and whenever he could,” he said.

“There’s been a lot of young blokes from down south who came to Darwin to play for St Mary’s who he took under his wing as coach to mentor them and they were always at his home to offer their support as he deteriorated.’’

Hale said the 1997-98 Southern Districts side he captained to a flag always remained close to his heart.

“He also remained very close to Mark Motlop, his coach in that premiership side, who he had a lot of respect for,” he said.

“Mark showed him a lot about loyalty by keeping him in the side despite undergoing a knee reconstruction and recovering from a broken finger.”

Palmerston Football Club’s acting president and the Magpies’ football operations manager Glen Patrick said Flanagan was a typical Territorian with his positive attitude to life and ability to make new friends.

“He’ll be sorely missed by everyone he knew and the people he met through Territory football, Darren was a super nice guy and a family man of the highest order.”

Darren Flanagan was well regarded as an ambassador for sport in the NT.

Tributes have since come in across social media with the Palmerston Magpies Football Club remembering Flanagan as “the ultimate club person”.

“He was a renowned family man who will be dearly missed,” the post reads.

“Flanno was the Men’s Premier League Coach for the Magpies from 2005/06 through to 2008/09, for a total of four seasons.

“The ultimate club person who cared for the players, families and friends. Rest in peace.”

Southern Districts shared a similar sentiment for their former player and under-18s coach.

“Darren’s footy career at the Crocs kicked off as an A Grade Captain, an Under 18’s Coach, one of the first 3 SDFC players to reach 100 games in the 1990s,” the club said.

A talented passionate footballer with a thirst for excellence, he continued on to Palmerston Magpies Football Club and then to St Mary’s Football Club.”

St Mary’s Football Club also expressed its sincere condolences to the Flanagan family.

“Flanno was truly a great mentor, especially to our younger players as Coach of our Under 18 Boys and filled many other roles within our footy club over the years,” the club’s post read.

Darren Flanagan’s funeral service will be held at Darwin’s Memorial Uniting Church in Smith Street, Darwin City from 10.30am on Friday, June 2.

He is survived by his wife Joanne and children Liam, Callum and Shannyn.