Nineties Debutants Still Playing

[Radford]

Martin Canning has called time on his playing career at the age of 35. In the statement on the Accies website, it stated he made his debut for Ross County in August 1999, aged 17. How many players in the SPFL who made their (SPL/SFL) debuts in the last century are still on the go? Are there any?

 

[Jan Vojáček]

Kenny Miller made his debut in 1998

Darren Young is technically still a registered player with East Fife, he made his debut for Aberdeen in 1996

Kevin Rutkiewicz is still registered as a player/coach at Annan, he also made his debut in 99

Paul Gallacher, I think, is still registered as a player at Hearts, isn't he?

Chris Templeman is still going at Montrose, having made his debut in 1998/99

[Northboy]

I know it's outside the scope of the criteria as his debut was presumably in England but what about Aaron Hughes a Hearts?

[Richey Edwards]

14 minutes ago, Northboy said:

I know it's outside the scope of the criteria as his debut was presumably in England but what about Aaron Hughes a Hearts?

1997, for Newcastle United.

[oneteaminglasgow]

Is Jamie Langfield still registered as a player at St Mirren? He'd have been 1999 I think

 

 

[sjc]

Buffon at Juventus. 

[craigkillie]

Neil Alexander (Stenhousemuir, 1996/97)
Darren Dods (Hibs, 1995/96) - effectively retired, but possibly still registered as a player
Paul Gallacher (Airdrie, 1998/99) - effectively retired, but possibly still registered as a player
Mark Kerr (Falkirk, 1998/99)
Jamie Langfield (Dundee, 1998/99)
Kenny Miller (Hibs, 1997/98)
Kevin Rutkiewicz (Aberdeen, 1999/00)
Chris Templeman (Dunfermline, 1998/99)
Darren Young (Aberdeen, 1996/97)

[Radford]

Top work! Will be interesting to see who the last man standing is. Any idea who the last eighties debutant to play a Scottish game was?

[btb]

7 minutes ago, Radford said:

Top work! Will be interesting to see who the last man standing is. Any idea who the last eighties debutant to play a Scottish game was?

Absolutely no checking on this but I'll suggest Andy Millen.

[HibeeJibee]

You'd have to limit that to SPFL... there have been case of people in their 50s and 60s making cameos in the lower levels of the pyramid, mainly managers / coaches in injury crisis... but Millen might be a good bet: debuted for St Johnstone in 1986, last played for Queen's Park in 2011 (at the age of 46!) edging out Craig Brewster by 1 year. David Weir last played in 2012 but doesn't look to have made his senior debut until 1992 at the "advanced" age of 22? Colin Cameron played for Berwick in 2015, but doesn't seem to have debuted at Raith until 1990.

Steve Banks was a possibility having played for St Johnstone as recently as 2015 but he seems to have made his first appearance for West Ham in the early 1990s when aged about 20 so again a bit of a late starter. Similar story with Rab Douglas who was still playing recently.

For anyone to beat Millen they'd have to have debuted at latest 1989, likely meaning they were born at latest 1973 (more likely earlier), and played in 2011 at age of at least 38 (more likely older).

[Ya Bezzer!]

11 hours ago, craigkillie said:

Darren Dods (Hibs, 1995/96) - effectively retired, but possibly still registered as a player

Dods played once last season. Still registered but doubt he will actually play this term unless there is some kind of emergency.

At the opposite end of the scale there have been several players born in the 2000s who have played so far this season.  Logan Chalmers at Dundee United and Jack Hamilton (Livingston edition). Perhaps more in the bottom two leagues that I've not had time to pay attention to so far this season.

Youngest player to start a league match this term in the two top divisions is Dunfermline's Callum Smith at 17 years, 9 months and 11 days.

[The Nightfly]

A player making his debut in the 1970s who had a long career was Bobby Geddes. His debut for Dundee was in1979. His last senior appearance would have been in 2000, with Brechin. However, more than once he was called upon in emergency situations, including in 2010 when an injury to the regular goalie meant he played another 63 minutes of 1st team football for Dundee.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

Craig Easton, U20's coach at Raith Rovers is a registered player but has only played in the Development League.

[Radford]

The Bobby Geddes chat made me think of Jim Butter. He was certainly on the bench a few times but has he played for Montrose in recent seasons? He'll obviously be an eighties debutant.

Who was the first 2000s player to play in the SPFL?

[craigkillie]

I think it was Jack Aitchison of Celtic.

[invergowrie arab]

Don't know when Rab Douglas made meadowbank debut but he was Livi keeper in 93/94 and still turning out for Arbroath at end of last season.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

Stevie Hammell just misses out, debut in April 2000.

[craigkillie]

On 26/08/2017 at 01:48, invergowrie arab said:

Don't know when Rab Douglas made meadowbank debut but he was Livi keeper in 93/94 and still turning out for Arbroath at end of last season.

He didn't play a single game last season, and I think he has retired now because he's no longer listed as a player on their website.

[Skyline Drifter]

On 24/08/2017 at 08:36, Radford said:

Martin Canning has called time on his playing career at the age of 35. In the statement on the Accies website, it stated he made his debut for Ross County in August 1999, aged 17. How many players in the SPFL who made their (SPL/SFL) debuts in the last century are still on the go? Are there any?

 

I know this is pedantry but the "last century" ended at midnight on 31 December 2000.

[HibeeJibee]

I don't suppose he had to come on but Davie Irons, age 56 and who made his debut in 1979, was listed as substitute goalkeeper for Gretna 2008 in the Scottish Cup today. They were severely short of subs hence his moonlighting, presumably.