As club captain, Hegarty led United to their first ever major trophy, the Scottish League Cup in 1979, which they retained the following year.
[2] He also featured in many notable victories in European competition, albeit injury restricted his participation in United's run to the 1987 UEFA Cup Final.
However, despite saving the club from relegation, Aberdeen elected at the end of the season not to continue with Hegarty in the job on a long-term basis.
This became a manager role in October 2002 after chairman Eddie Thompson was unable to prise first-choice Ian McCall from Falkirk.
[3] Initially appointed as caretaker,[4] Hegarty's role was to be extended until the end of the season[5] before he was sacked in January 2003 – and subsequently replaced with McCall.
[8] While at Dunfermline, Hegarty was approached by Inverness CT to be part of the management with former Dundee United colleague Maurice Malpas,[9] although the move never materialised.
Soon after, Hegarty was appointed permanent manager on a two-year contract at Links Park alongside assistant and former United teammate John Holt.
[19] Hegarty was sacked by Montrose in November 2016, after a run of bad results left the club in ninth position in the league.