Derek, 32, took time after a recent training session to talk to the 'Herald' about his life in football.

Derek came through youth ranks playing in the youth leagues in Aberdeen before playing for Deveronside at Under-18 level but had been training from the Broch since the age of 15 making his debut at 17.

"I've played for Fraserburgh Boys' Club, Deeside, with me, Mike Stephen, Mark Simpson, Jim Hamilton, Ian Murray, Scott Buchan, a lot of good players at that time at Deeside. I played in the Broch under-18 side with Marino Keith, Clark Killoh, Chris Hunter and Chris Beaton guys like that, we won the under-18s league.

"My first season (in the first team) was when Marino Keith and Scott Murray were still here, I played more games with Marino; Scott was just leaving soon after I joined. They are two of the best players I have played with at the Broch but probably not the best, but you can probably guess who that is, Mikey (Stephen)," he said.

"When we won the league, for four years he was there, miles above everyone else in the league."

Derek has been a football fan all his life and is happy to be squaring up to the Dons for his testimonial game:
"Aberdeen were my first choice, I'm an Aberdeen fan anyway so we were in contact with them in the summer, but their schedule was full but then they cancelled some trips and they got back in contact with us and said they were willing to give us the game during the Scotland game period. It was good of them to come back, we're pretty thankful to them for giving us the game.

"When I was younger I followed them down the road, back when they were close to winning titles, things have changed a bit now," he laughed.
"Once you are in the Highland League your Saturdays are taken up so I haven't seen them as much, sometimes you get a Sunday game, a midweek game or European games and when I can I go through.

"The way they are speaking it looks like it will be a strong team, they wanted the game because they know they will have two weeks without fixtures as most of their team isn't away with Scotland. So chances are it should be a strong pool coming through.

"I'd like to say a big thank you to The Broch coaching and management staff, players I've played with over the years past and present, Broch fans and anyone who has helped with the organising of the Testimonial game and local companies who have taken sponsorship, donated raffles or sold tickets. I'd especially thank Gray and Adam's for sponsoring the game," he added.

Derek has a full set of medals from the Highland League having won every competition over his career.

He reflects on the high point of his career so far unsurprisingly being when the team won the league and his selection in the Scotland semi-pro team:
"Winning the league is obviously a highlight, but getting called up to the Scotland semi-pro team too and being captain against England.

"You had to commit five-six weeks to the Scotland thing, then you had two or three weeks off and you are back into pre-season so you end up burnt-out. It was one of the best things though I would recommend it to any player in the Highland League. It's what young players should be aiming for. It's a great setup, the SFA treat you as well as they do with the full setup. They are good with you the whole week of the tournament, they couldn't be better," said Derek, who was capped 12 times for the national side.

"When we won the league it took a long time to sink in. That night we won it, me and Mikey were standing off at the side ourselves and everyone else was in the middle, we just couldn't believe it.

"Even when we were back in Fraserburgh that night, it wasn't till we saw the pictures the day after and people were speaking to you and we did the parade around the town and all the kids coming to the Bellslea, it was great.

"The night we beat Vale at Bellslea the season we won the league, the crowd of 2,500, that was the best game I have ever played in for Fraserburgh.
"It was a great atmosphere, you had the crowd with you and we went to Cove and the crowd was there, about 2,000 Brochers. I can't imagine what it is like for a professional running out in front of 50-60,000.
"The Jimmy Young Testimonial was another huge crowd about 3,000. That was a good day that.

"I'm glad we won the league because it is what everyone in the Highland League wants to do.

Wearing the captains armband for his home club is something Derek is proud to do and says it is just something extra that has added to the whole experience at the club

Looking back on changes to the league and competitions Derek admits the league took a few years to recover after losing Peterhead and Elgin and that replacing the Qualifying Cup with the Challenge Cup has removed one of the most prestigious competitions:

"The qualifying cup had an extra buzz about it, I suppose now you are straight into the cup, but it was definitely a big thing to be a part of and the Challenge cup, no-one knows what that is or what it is for.
"I think the league took a good three or four years for the league to compensate after Peterhead and Elgin left, but you look at it now and the Highland League is as strong as it has been since I have been in it; five, six, seven teams are within a shout of winning the league at the start of the season," he added.

Huntly were a dominant force for a long time in the Highland League in the early 90s but Derek recalls Fraserburgh at the time were an exceptionally good cup side and the team made up for their lack of challenges in the league with just about a cup final every season. Although he does admit disappointment that he Broch didn't capitalise to win a title as the Huntly team started to disintegrate.

"Once Huntly's team started breaking up we came into it a bit and we should have won three or four league titles that we blew. You look back at old programmes and we were seven points ahead of Keith with three games to go and they won it on the last day, and you wonder how they won it.

"That was frustrating in a way, but I'm glad I won one.
The low point came for Derek as the team crashed 8-0 to Peterhead in a Qualifying Cup final at Huntly.

"It was 4-0 at half-time and half the fans disappeared to the pub at half-time. That is the low-point big time, I don't think it can get any lower. Your main rival at the time and getting beat in the most prestigious cup final there is," he said.

The team now is much different form the one Derek began playing with at the start of his career with young players seemingly still flooding the Broch starting XI every week:

"Graham Johnston is one of the most talented boys in the squad, for natural ability, right foot, left foot, his all round game he has fairly come on. Hopefully he can reach the heights he did last season.
"Jamie Ralph has come in and done well, there is a good pool of guys, but they have to stick in and do it season after season. They can't just do it for one season , everyone knows who they are now. In their second season you look for a bit more from these young guys,"

"We're now the experienced guys in the squad and we have to help young players. Billy Gordon was one of the experienced players with us and he's still here," he laughed.

"This season we should be aiming to still be in there at Christmas and looking to challenge and that is what we have to try and do and hopefully get a Scottish Cup run, it's been a few years and get someone up here and get some excitement back in. People have drifted away from the football up here, but if we can get a good tie we'll get a bit of interest and even a challenge for the league get a few more numbers through the door.

Derek has no plans to retire in the immediate future and admits that it will be if he is no longer first choice on a Saturday or picks up an injury that he likely is likely to walk away from the game.

"I'm as fit as anyone, as long as I stay injury free. I'd a couple of seasons with injury bother with my ankles and struggled to get going. But, touchwood, I've been fine the past few seasons and as long as they want me I'm happy to do it. If I started not getting a game I think I'd walk away, I don't want to go there.

"I've had 15 great years at it. I'm had a successful career in the league and I'm happy enough with what I have achieved. I probably couldn't achieve any more as a semi-pro player.

"I take it a year at a time now with having family and two young children.

"Off the park my life has changed completely over the last ten years, the thing I always wanted more than anything was to have kids and to have a family now is great.

"I have to try and find a balance between football and family."
Derek married his wife Marie eight years ago and the coupled now have two children; Connie, who is three, and new arrival Ashton, who is just over 10 weeks old.

"Once I am finished playing there will be many a Saturday I'll be down at the Bellslea. I'll take my kids down on a Saturday and I'm sure I'll be welcome; you can't walk away from something you have been involved with for so long just like that.

On the prospect of coaching Derek was less than sure it was something he would want to become involved with on a serious basis:

"With having the kids I might get involved with coaching if any of them ever plays, I might get involved as they get older. But as in going into the Highland League and taking it seriously I can't see it. I'm not after Charlie's job yet, he's safe from me," he joked.

"I could walk away from football like that, I don't have to be involved on a practical side, but I'd like to go see Liverpool more and Aberdeen."