From Toryglen to the Nou Camp

A storm lashed Sunday afternoon at Toryglen in December is an unlikely backdrop to the Champions League.

For Joe Thomson and others, Sunday’s 1-0 win over Queens Park to clinch the SPFL u-19 title was another step along the road to following in the footsteps of Stephen McManus, Aiden McGeady, Shaun Maloney and James Forrest.

Producing Champions League players in the constantly changing landscape of Scottish football isn’t straightforward but the u-19 league looks like a step in the right direction.

Under the SPL in 2009 the Reserve League was scrapped and replaced by the u-19 league which was itself replaced by the u-20 league, plus overage players, in 2012 before the SPL gave way to the SPFL.

Making the leap from u-17 to u-20 football is a big ask but with the introduction of the u-19 set-up Celtic coach Tommy McIntyre is hoping that the development path runs a little smoother.

“We’ve entered our u-17 side into the u-19 league to get that physical element into our game,” he explained after the win over Queens Park. “It’s certainly turned out that way, a tough game in tough conditions is a great test for these boys.

“We all know that they can play, they are creative, we play with a certain style but sometimes they need to get a different test and this competition has delivered that.

“The u-19 UEFA Champions League provides a bridge, we finished up with four u-17’s and an u-16 player against Barcelona which is a great experience.

“Alongside that we have the u-19 league for our younger players to challenge them, ultimately it is about developing players through towards the first team.

“This league has been something different for us to try, we’ve enjoyed it, it’s thrown up some challenges and it’s good to win a league so early in the season.

“We’ve been predominantly an u-17 side but the league allows three players u-21 and a goalkeeper at any age which makes it a tough competition.”

McIntyre added: “What has also been very pleasing is that we’ve played in some really good stadia, we’ve been to Forfar, Montrose, Airdrie and Queen of the South at their main stadium which has been excellent.

“Players are progressing through the various levels, they are getting their opportunity at a higher level and hopefully they can make the most of that.”

Celtic’s u-20 side face Inverness Caley Thistle today at Dumbarton, kick-off 2pm

CELTIC TEAM v QUEENS PARK: McCabe: Wardrop, Kelleher, McCart, Tierney: Nesbit, Breslin, Thomson, Donnelly, Miller: Boyd