It didn’t take Josh Kerr long to realise that things would be a bit different playing for East Kilbride.
The 17-year-old defender made his Lowland League debut against Stirling University on Wednesday night with the visitors going two goals up within 15 minutes.
Stirling should have had the points wrapped up by half-time but at 2-0 down the league leaders were always in with a chance of salvaging something from the match.
Kerr raced back to hook a shot off the goal-line before his new club scored twice to take a point and provide the on loan Celtic defender with a crash course in what to expect from the Lowland League.
“It was good to get a taste of a match again and get 90 minutes in,” he said afterwards. “I’ve not had much game time this season and this was a bit different. The tempo was high and I enjoyed it.”
Coming through the Academy structure players rarely stray from playing against anyone outwith their own age group other than the occasional friendly or testimonial match.
Celtic’s u-17 side got a taste of another world when they visited Fullarton Park in August to play Vale of Clyde in a testimonial match for Brian McKinstry, at that time Kerr was with Celtic’s u-19 squad in South Africa where they played Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven and Inter Milan.
September’s fixture list isn’t quite as glamorous with East Kilbride travelling to face Dalbeattie Star today but with the prospect of 90 minutes in at the deep end Kerr is looking forward to the new challenges ahead.
“The match against Stirling was a totally different type of game for me,” he added. “With Celtic you get a lot of the ball and are usually ahead in matches, this side of the game is new to me and something that I need to work on.
“It’s totally different to playing in age group matches, here you are up against men who are experienced, they’ve played the game for 10 or 15 years. It’s going to bring me on as a player.
“I found out early last week that there was the possibility of a move, I was excited by it, it’s a fresh challenge for me and I couldn’t wait to get started. After I head about a loan deal I was intrigued, read about the club and the league and I’m looking forward to getting fully involved.
“East Kilbride and ambitious and want to win the league, I want to be part of that and it will push my career on.
“I’m still training with Celtic every morning, on a Monday I’ll come through to train with East Kilbride with my Celtic training geared around my schedule with East Kilbride.”
Paul Sludden, great nephew of Neil Mochan, was number 11 for Stirling University.
Celtic’s u-17 side are in action tomorrow, taking on Fife Elite Academy at Lennoxtown with a 2pm kick-off.
Enjoy the highlights, some great play and well worked goals from both teams.