Henry Mearns

OK, who will be the young players to watch out for in the WoSFL this coming season - new players, maybe promoted for U20s Dev league or straight in from youth football (or even falling out of senior clubs academies), or maybe guys who played last year but ready to really push on?

Based on Scotland’s performance at the Euros, we could clearly do with a fresh approach and some young blood into the national team - so on the original question, let’s hope so!

In theory not impossible - Vardy in England comes to mind. But reality is if the player is not currently just a teenager, and a stand-out at that, no chance as very few decision-makers in Scottish football the way it’s structured at moment will give any credibility to players not already in or about top league (eg Watson at Killie or Miller at Motherwell). Whole system assumes you can’t be decent, or a potential top player, if you don’t come from within “pro youth”. My experience is 80% plus of pro youth are effectively jersey fillers even 9sometimes especially) in the minds of their own coaches, there just to ensure the 2 or 3 in any particular age group they rated at 11-12 as potentially good enough can continue to play at so called “elite”level. Massively flawed thinking, and holds us back as a nation especially when the coaching except maybe in 2-3 clubs is nowhere near “pro” and usually with unpaid and minimally qualified coaches doing it as an add-on to their job, using system to get paid through their badges. German and Dutch “pro clubs” - and sadly the English using the huge EPL cash - do however pay proper qualified coaches (qualified educators as well as “football’ wise) to actually develop technical players, and you can see the difference in their players at 17-18 compared to Scottish boys. Coaches or scouts reading out there, please take a chance on 17-18 year olds already playing against men and showing they can cut it. Or tell us why it doesn’t happen? Pro youth only players barely experience any proper competitive element now until 17 or 18, if you’ve watched CAS games they are slow paced like meaningless training games. Don’t understand why scouts aren’t looking for non PY young players and keeping their contacts primed to find them - ok, the data is sketchy, WOSFL site shows only goalscorers and names, no ages or assists or pass completion or possession ratios etc, but surely any proper scouting network could ID potential prospects? Seems they have already written off lower leagues as not worth checking for nuggets. I mentioned a couple of 17 year olds in Division 4 in a thread on teenage prospects, and asked if anyone knew of any others in Divs 1, 2 and 3 - not much info, so does that mean not many teenagers playing or most still with U20s? If they are playing, and scoring and creating at 17/18/19 against experienced older players, got to be worth a punt higher up the levels?

Cheers Uncle Scan, good to hear. Can you confirm the other 17 year old - is it Jay Mckight, related to manager Steven McKnight? On attached Thorn final league goals chart looks like they’ve both contributed. But clearly shows just how important McLelland’s goals are for Thorn 32 league goals at any age is impressive, but at 17 must put McLelland on radar of big teams, surely the scouts will be battering Thorn’s door down. Assume teams at this level just sign boys season to season, so transfer fees not really a thing, but guessing Thorn will look to get him boy signed up long-term if not already even just to ensure they get some cash when he inevitably does go. Less headline grabbing but still impressive is midfielder Boyle at Giffnock. High-scoring midfielders rare as hen’s teeth at most levels, so 14 goals at just 17 in first senior season has to set the Scottish Moneyball alarms off big style. Chart shows only Giffnock’s big striker Clark scored more.

Met an old pal in East Kilbride to watch EK Thistle v Thorn, nice wee pint in the Village round the corner before the game. Decent wee ground, but grass maybe needed a mow! Young McLelland scored another brace before being subbed. Bit of a walkover for Thorn at 7-0.

Fair play to Talbot then if those two getting decent game time. Should pay dividends for them in future

Gillies is a very good player no doubt, coupla pals watch St Peters where he was very highly regarded. But he’s no been a teenager for while Thomson up front seems to be Talbot’s youngest, but nearly 20? Only other regularly played teenager I’m aware of in Premier is Emordi at Beith and he’ll be 20 soon too. Similar at St Cadocs, Clydebank, Largs, Pollok, Darvel - can’t see any young guys never mind teenagers played, other maybe than the odd boy stuck in on the bench from their 20s getting 10-15 minutes in a game that’s already won. I get that pressure is on in Premier so playing very young guys becomes tough for managers, same at top end of First, Drumchapel, Burgh, Shotts and Ashfield will barely have any teenager signed let alone play them this season I’m guessing . Even young players loaned in from SPFL teams, usually meaning they are no longer able to play U18 and likely surplus to requirements as never getting a look in with the first team squad, don’t seem to get game time. The Candy took in a 17 year old Pearse Carroll who’s fallen out of the system at Falkirk in April, but I’m on a self-imposed ban till next season so will have to wait to see if he can play. Hoping that Clubs in Divisions 2 or 3 might at least be prepared to give youngsters a chance? Even if like archieb you don’t want to give out names in case boys get poached, at least let us know boys are getting played somewhere! Hearing McLelland on the list of a few clubs, and Thorn apparently knocked back a decent cash offer this season to ensure they kept his goals to get promotion - their 20s won their conference in the development league so hopefully they bring more young guys in next season.

No “young player of the year’ awards now we’re at end of season? Keen to highlight the best young talent in WoSFL by division, post your top 3 teenagers in WoSFL here. Guys playing against grown men in competitive leagues, not over-insulated pro-youth types. The younger the better, we can check back in 5 years and see who’s progressed. I’ll start with two very young stand-outs in Division 4, based on what I’ve seen (and also picked up from gabbing with home spectators). Goals data from WoSFL official website (below), no info on assists. Nathan McLelland (Thorn), top goal scorer in league - ridiculous return of 29 goals means >1 goal a game! Natural born predator, scores all types and continually hits the target even from half chances. Only 17 years old! Strong and very sharp. Watched him bully much older and bigger CBs. Think a mini Wayne Rooney. Conor Boyle (Giffnock) - also just 17. 12 goals., so top-scoring midfielder in league? Touch, balance, vision - and pace driving through midfield. Fouled a lot in games I saw but got up and on with it. 10% commission awaited from any scouts tuning in

Interesting appointment, will keep an eye out as liked him in his time with the Saints. Saw Giffnock v Maybole in cup and they were deservedly 3-2 up with 4 minutes left and should have won, but conceded two horrible goals defensively including late equalizer. Pens a lottery, think it ended 8-7 to Maybole. One of their players dads told me it was same when they played top of their league, 2-0 up away and cruising with just a few minutes left then lost 3 carbon copy shockers in 4 minutes, equalised but in last minute subbed on midfielder tried to Zidane turn two forwards when last man and let them in to score. Maybe if Barry can tighten them up at back and get them to stop committing defensive suicide he can keep them in hunt in their league. Young looking team so maybe they’ll learn or get an experienced big organising CB in. Cracking big old fashioned centre forward, real handful got a hat trick at Maybole, and a teenage midfielder looks a talent.

worrying trend happening with 2006 teams. just heard GADFYL U17s league has folded and teams are going to join their 2005s league so can keep playing this comes off back of a number of 2006s teams folding, some decent ones too - blantyre, scotland bc, pollok, harmony row, even dyce who won scottish always thought it was a really good age group - watched grandsons playing in both Central, Paisley and Glasgow leagues at both 2006 and 2004 and some right good teams, but some very, very strong players spread about. quite a few clearly knocked back pro youth approaches as saw through the con (no point until about 26 when things start to get a bit more focused) when teams really there for 2-3 boys at most, no real focussed development and no proper competitive games other than toornies instead of playing good level tough league games week in week out. Boys prefer playing games that matter and develop the edge needed for later on latest drop offs, and the temptation of U20 dev league (a lot of teams been poached entirely by the wya from grassroots clubs wrongly excluded from involvement) and more serious pro youth/senior club approaches for boys now they're at an age it is at least realistic those us us who've been watching have for years have known for 2-3 years sometimes longer are the better players with proper potential could really affect this age group. all this, impact of Covid plus representative teams like Region who'd select best players in league for higher level games no longer happen after u16s (Region teams regularly beating so called "pro youth" at u13-u16 when only train a few times a year as opposed to twice/3x weekly) show up current "system". used to regular chat with dads and other grandads on side-lines that we could pick 20 best boys in either Central or Paisley top divs and despite never training together they'd beat all except maybe top 2 pro youth at same age group who've supposed to been developed to potential pro level - barely 10% of pro youth squads even make it to tier 3 or 4 senior level, let alone first team so something isn't right anyone else think it's time for a change - for me, back to something like S forms so can't sign exclusively with Rangers, Celtic etc until at least 15 or 16 , but can play with grassroots clubs and train (and play) with senior club groups and better coaches (don't care if National, Regional, just not pretendy senior clubs pro youth box tickers to get cash, only ones who employ serious devlopment coaches and are not just picking big strong boys at 9-10yo ) would be start. let them train play with pals but best also get extra training games in proper best-v-best. something like iceland system give us your ideas