A FORMER footballer has taken over a popular pub in Kidderminster.

Entrepreneur Darren Brett, who previously played at Nottingham Forest, is now running the Viaduct Tavern on Chester Road South.

Mr Brett started his footballing career as a trainee at Forest in the 90s.

He left the club in 1996 without having made a first-team appearance and went to the United States where he worked first with the Colorado Rapids and then with Colorado Rush.

He was part of a team that expanded the club’s youth programme from just five teams to around 5,200 players. The Rush Soccer franchise which Mr Brett was involved in had around 47,000 players across the US by the time he returned the Britain after 11 years.

The 50-year-old said: "I came back to the UK ten years ago, then got involved in pubs.

"I've had several Marston's pubs over the last ten years.

"The pubs I take on are very much community places.

"As soon as I came in the door I knew this was a pub I wanted to take on.

"It ticked all the boxes".

Mr Brett thanked Carl and Leanne who previously ran the pub, who did an "amazing job of building the business over the last four years."

Mr Brett added: "There have been lots of questions about what we intend to do differently.

"My response is 'why try to fix something that’s not broken.'

"We are very lucky to inherit such a great business with a template for success that was built and implemented by the previous managers".