Youth development

With our promotion to the SPL came the need to review our youth development structure. SPL clubs are obliged to run a side to compete in the Clydesdale Bank Under 19 League and the nucleus of that squad has come from last season's league-winning Under 17 side bolstered by some new, young faces from the summer of 2009.

Former Dundee United and Rangers defender Alec Cleland (pictured right) has been appointed as Under 19 coach, a move he held with Inverness Caledonian Thistle prior to their relegation from the SPL.

Teams younger than this continue to be of great importance to the club and for 2009/2010 teams are operating at Under 16, Under 15 and Under 13 levels.

Youth Development manager Tommy Campbell remains in charge of the overall set-up and he is once again ably assisted by his team of coaches: Garry Anderson and Derek Black are in charge of the Under 16s, Dave Black and Alan Shepherd the Under 15s and the Under 13s are looked after by Tom McCallum and John Oswald.

As at any club, the aim is to bring through young players that can be considered for first team duty and last season was heartening in the respect of the establishment of Kevin Moon as a first team regular.

Johnny Lindsay, Steven Reynolds and Stevie May were all given a small taste of first team action in the final match of the campaign away to Airdrie United - May celebrating the occasion by scoring a great goal just minutes after coming on as a substitute.

The hope is that others will make the grade this season - the SPL rules dictate that clubs must have at least two Under 21 players in their sixteen in every game and that ceratinly opens up possibilities for the younger players to gain a slice of SPL action.

Back to previous page

Unless otherwise stated all photographs on this site are ©Perthshire Picture Agency and may not be used without permission.

Web design by Bedfordbeck Limited

Contact us

Match results

Match fixtures

Tickets & admission

Team

Club info

News

Home

Youth development