For Darren Barr, Annan Athletic’s assistant, there were plenty of familiar faces to renew acquaintances with on Saturday.

Having left Stirling Albion and been appointed as Peter Murphy’s right-hand man in December, the defender played against the Forthbank Stadium outfit for the first time since his departure when the two sides met at Galabank.

On the field, the Scottish League Two encounter proved to be a largely uneventful affair, with away striker Dylan Mackin dragging his first-half penalty wide as the match finished goalless.

But with Steve Swinglehurst, Ayrton Sonkur, Owen Moxon, Niyah Joseph and Christian Nade among those not involved for the home team, former Scotland centre-back Barr was not too disappointed with a point, as the Black and Golds responded after a 4-0 hiding at Edinburgh City.

"After the Edinburgh defeat, I think the boys can take credit, and a bit of heart, from that performance," the 34-year-old reflects.

"They [Stirling] had got a good result the previous week [beating Elgin City 1-0] and we were a wee bit weakened, we had a few boys out with injuries. So, credit to the boys who stuck to their task."

On facing his former team-mates, Barr, who has made six appearances for the Black and Golds so far this season, adds: “Obviously, I have been there, so I know how they work.

"But, in football, everyone moves on.

"I have a new role here and, if I can help with anything here, then I will, especially when we are a few bodies down.

"I can still get my old legs out now and again to see how they go."

Of the nine points Annan have earned from their first seven league fixtures this term, six of those have come at home, leaving the border club fifth in the table, behind fourth-placed Queen’s Park and outside the play-offs on goal difference, ahead of tomorrow's trip to take on leaders Cove Rangers.

“I think, with the players we have got, it’s just about trying to get the best out of them,” the former Falkirk, Hearts and Kilmarnock man explains.

"The home record is good, but your home record needs to be your bread and butter."

When asked for the reasons behind that home form, Barr replies: “I don’t know. We want to win every game, to be fair!

“Maybe the defeat at Edinburgh was a bit of a freak because we are usually only really involved in close games.

"But when you lose players like Swings [Swinglehurst] and players like that, it’s tough.”

Barr has enjoyed coaching experience with Falkirk’s Under-17s and Morton’s Under-20s, prior to working as Murphy’s assistant.

He says: “I’m enjoying it.

"The boys have been good with me, and Peter has been good with me, so I’m enjoying it. I’m enjoying my roles, it’s just trying to blend it at times when needed.

“As you can see, we have some good young players here, young Harry [Emmerson] coming on. It’s exciting for us.

"Last season, the boys did exceptionally well. But I don’t want to go into that too much because it’s all over.

"It’s just about making sure we can put a decent team together and we can go again. We’ve been good in stages [this term]. Hopefully, we can kick on.

"We are quite a young group, so we will have to see how it goes."

At the height of a successful career, Barr played alongside former Everton winger James McFadden, Celtic midfield man Scott Brown and ex-Manchester United regular Darren Fletcher for Scotland in a goalless draw against Northern Ireland, as he earned his sole international cap in August 2008.

Meanwhile, for Hearts, Barr netted for the Jambos - as did Workington Reds boss and former Carlisle United skipper Danny Grainger - in a 5-1 Scottish Cup Final demolition of Edinburgh rivals Hibernian in 2012.

On the transition from full-time to part-time football, Barr enthuses: “It’s been good.

"Sometimes, in part-time football, it’s about your attitude and the way you are. I know myself that I’m probably not going to last as long as I’d like.

"At some point, I needed to make a decision [about when to leave full-time football] and I went to Dumbarton before joining Stirling.

"Stirling were good to me, as well. It was just that an opportunity came up with Peter, and it was something that I wanted to do.

"It’s maybe about boys’ attitudes.

"You do see that some boys come and want to get into full-time [football]. But, sometimes, it’s just about attitude and how boys adapt to it – playing around their job and everything else."

As Barr points out, it’s something Carlisle United legend Murphy has also had to adapt to, since he moved in the hot-seat at Galabank in 2016.

“Peter is from a similar background,” he continues.

“So, if we can get an arm around them, because we know what it’s like, hopefully it helps them.”