Exclusive: Regan exits for offer he could 'not refuse' (Video)

Regan will vacate his post as Yorkshire's chief executive at the end of September to take up an identical job at the Scottish Football Association.

Regan said he was head-hunted for the role north of the border and had not been looking to leave Headingley Carnegie.

Yorkshire chairman Colin Graves will step into the breach as executive chairman following Regan's departure before the club look to appoint a new chief executive sometime next year.

Speaking from Hampden Park, Glasgow, where his appointment was officially announced yesterday, Regan told the Yorkshire Post: "To get the chance to be responsible for the whole of Scottish football – the national team, the national team manager, and to be given a brief to put a new blueprint in place for football in Scotland – was too good to turn down.

"This is one of the biggest jobs in football and the Scottish FA made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

"I don't want to leave Yorkshire – I've thoroughly enjoyed my time at the club and I had no intention of walking away.

"I didn't approach the Scottish FA – I was head-hunted by an agency who put me into the final shortlist, and you've got to take these opportunities in life when they come along."

Regan joined Yorkshire in March 2006 after four years as director of the Football League Championship.

He beat off competition from more than 80 candidates for the Scotland job and was the unanimous choice of the SFA panel.

Regan commands a six-figure salary at Yorkshire and admitted his departure would help ease the financial pressure on the club, who are 18m in debt.

Yorkshire plan to make five or six office staff redundant in the months ahead to help trim their cost base.

"In some ways it will help the club's financial situation," conceded Regan.

"There isn't a Test match at Headingley Carnegie in 2011 and it will help with the savings that we, as the Yorkshire board, have committed to make."

Regan said he will divide his time between Yorkshire and Glasgow for the next 18 months.

He explained: "Domestically, I have to admit it's not good timing for me.

"My daughter is still at school in Yorkshire and the SFA have kindly agreed to me staying in Yorkshire for the next 18 months and taking up a second home in Scotland.

"My wife and I are keen to have an apartment in Glasgow and plan to divide our time between Scotland and Yorkshire.

"We're really excited about this next chapter in our lives."

Regan's tenure at Headingley has presented a number of challenges.

He had to cope with the fall-out of the Chris Adams affair in 2006 when the former Sussex captain pulled out of a three-year deal as Yorkshire's captain/manager, while he also came under pressure when the club were eliminated from the 2008 Twenty20 Cup for failing to register Azeem Rafiq.

But Regan has worked tirelessly to oversee the continued development of Headingley cricket ground, including the construction of the new 21m Carnegie Pavilion, and helped stabilise the club's financial position despite hefty overheads.

"I'm proud of what I've achieved at Yorkshire and what the board have achieved," he said.

"There were a number of times when people questioned whether we were going in the right direction, but we've got a business that, from 2012 onwards, is very good.

"Hand on heart, I wish the club were in a better place cash-wise, but I'm sure with Colin and our financial partners we'll get through this period.

"From a personal point of view, I'll miss not working with Colin because I've got a tremendous amount of respect for what he's done for Yorkshire."

Regan believes he has developed professionally and personally during his time at the helm.

"I feel I've grown massively in terms of dealing with the politics involved in sport, relationships with those in governing bodies, the management of key stake-holders, relationships with the press, relationships with members, and so on," he added.

"They've all had to be handled and there's been some challenging times along the way.

"I feel I'm a much more rounded individual than I was four years ago and I've really enjoyed working with everyone at Yorkshire. Hopefully, we can win a trophy before I leave because it would be really great to go out on a high."

REGAN:THE STORY SO FAR

Stewart Regan was born in Durham and educated in Bishop Auckland. He gained a degree in American Studies from Hull University in 1986

He spent 16 years in the brewing industry working for Bass, John Smith's and Coors before becoming Director of the Football League Championship in 2002

Regan joined Yorkshire as chief executive in March 2006

He oversaw the development of the new 21m Carnegie Pavilion, which was officially opened last week, and has helped put Yorkshire on a sounder financial footing

He will continue as the club's chief executive until the end of September and take up his new role as chief executive of the Scottish Football Association on October 5