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Celtic youths

Stark to replace Park as Scotland u-19 coach

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Image for Stark to replace Park as Scotland u-19 coach

Billy Stark is set to replace Donald Park as the coach of the Scotland u-19 side.

The former Celtic and Aberdeen midfielder recently resigned from Lowland League outfit East Kilbride after coming close to promotion to the SPFL.

Stark has previously managed the Scotland u-21 side and took charge of the full international side for a 1-0 win away to Luxembourg in 2012.

Park was in charge of the u-19 squad for the recent European Championship qualifiers in Germany which saw some very strange team selections.

Celtic defenders Stephen Welsh, Robbie Deas and Daniel Church were all left on the bench for the opening match against Germany as Park called in a number of Murray Park starlets.

Sevco star maker Craig Mulholland was a special guest of the SFA for the series despite taking his squad out of competitive action other than two matches in the SFA Youth Cup that ended in a defeat from St Johnstone. No Saints players were in the Scotland squad.

The three Celtic defenders were drafted in for the match against Holland which Scotland won 2-0 thanks to two goals from hoops striker Jack Aitchison.

Deas and Church were then dropped for the final match against Norway which started with all four teams in the group level on three points with a chance to qualify.

After trailing 2-0 Scotland went 4-2 ahead before the defence collapsed losing three goals in the last eight minutes. Sevco starlet Aidan Wilson was sent off in stoppage time against the Norwegians then followed that up four days later with a red card for Dumbarton in their 3-0 home defeat from Livingston.

While Wilson and his Sevco team-mates enjoyed a season of bounce games against clubs from Belgium and Holland Celtic’s u-19 contingent played in the UEFA Youth League, English Premier League International Cup, the SPFL Development League and only lost out to eventual winners Hibs after extra-time in the SFA Youth Cup.

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