THIRTEEN YEAR OLD Karamoko Kader Dembele has been listed as a substitute for Celtic’s Development League match with Hearts tonight!
The youngster has already created quite a stir in the game with all of the big names in English football keeping tabs on the Academy kid.
International commitments have deprived Tommy McIntyre of half of his regular side giving Dembele the opportunity to prepare for a senior match alongside Jamie McCart who played first team football this season.
Young Dembele has been carefully nurtured through the ranks at Celtic with the club keen to protect him from too much scrutiny while also giving him experience of facing older players.
The 13-year-old is a regular in Celtic’s u-15 side but tonight’s call up to what is basically an u-20 league is unprecedented and certain to create more attention.
McIntyre’s side are without Ross Doohan, Anthony Ralston, Mark Hill, Regan Hendry, Calvin Miller and PJ Crossan who are all away on Scotland u-19 duty.
Rather than postpone the fixture due to the lack of available players Celtic prefer to play fixtures and test younger players outside their usual age range.
In four Development League matches so far this season Celtic have won two, drawn one and lost their last match away to Ross County.
As well as Dembele McIntyre has named BSC Glasgow loanees Lewis Bell and Shaun Bower on the bench alongside four players involved in yesterday’s 11-0 win over Partick Thistle yesterday for Celtic’s u-17 side.
CELTIC: CELTIC: Fasan; Wardrop, Kerr, McCart, McIlduff; Higgins, Payne; Watson, Thomson, Archibald; Aitchison
Substitutes: McAdams, Duffy, Church, McGrath, Bowers, Bell, K Dembele.
