Carroll’s signing follows others including former Australian goalkeeper Danny Milosevic as football director and Melbourne Victory A-League championship winner James Robinson as player-manager for the 2014 season.

Carroll joins the Red Devils after extensive experience in the employment, education and training sector where he worked as a senior manager in the delivery of million-dollar Australian Government contracts across Ballarat, Western Victoria and South Australia.

“There is a lot of work to do and no time to waste, so I will be working tirelessly to engage as many businesses and people over the next couple of days, weeks and months to let them know what an exciting future lies ahead for the Ballarat Red Devils,” he said.

Red Devils chairman Duncan Smith said he could not be happier with how the club was shaping up ahead of the 2014 Victorian National Premier Leagues season.

The Reds are one of 38 applicants for a place in the elite state-based competition, with successful licensees to be announced early next month.

“Darrin is a very enthusiastic person, who we believe will drive the club forward,” he said. 

“It is a difficult job with a very short timeframe to get things going, but he is excited and is looking forward to contacting and developing relationships with the Ballarat business sector.

“He will be working hard over the next few months on sponsorship, memberships and the general marketing of the club, while also working on the other business revenue streams that we have targeted to get the club up and going.”