It’s been a while coming for them but on September 20 four Celtic Academy kids will get their chance to play competitive action at Celtic Park- in the colours of Annan Athletic.
A 1-0 win over Inverness Caley Thistle thanks to a goal from Jason Marr booked Alloa’s place in the last eight on the back of four straight group wins against Cove Rangers, Montrose, Ross County and Raith Rovers.
For another former Celt, Jim Goodwin the ground should seem quite familiar although 16 years have passed since he made his one and only first team appearance in a 2-0 win over Dundee United that marked the farewell of Kenny Dalglish.
Marr will be alongside Goodwin in central defence and played for Celtic in the 2007 and 2008 SFA Youth Cup Finals alongside Wasps team mate Kevin Cawley.
Very few of that youth side survived into the senior ranks although Michael Tidser has made a decent career for himself with a spell at Rotherham either side of stints at Morton.
Joining Goodwin and Marr in defence is Calum Waters, freed by Celtic at the end of last season. For a spell he seemed to be ranked alongside Liam Henderson as a real prospect but his pint sized frame probably put managers off his case, against Inverness Caley Thistle he picked up the man-of-the-match award.
Further forward Jack Ross can call on the travelling scoring boots of Greig Spence, a name whispered with fear around Ibrox and in the McCoist household.
Now in his third stint with Alloa he enjoyed two seasons in the Celtic youth side alongside James Keatings and Tony Watt before going off on his travels to Raith Rovers, Alloa, Cowdenbeath where he scored 17 times last season to earn another deal at the Indodrill Stadium.
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