Reserve squad takes shape

Fife Elite supplies six young talented players

Dunfermline Athletic have signed up six young players to make up the nucleus of their reserve team for next season. Last season the Pars did not have an under 20s team and players like Callum Smith, Stuart Morrison, Paul Allan, Brandon Luke, Conner Duthie and Scott Lochhead went out on loan to other clubs.

Callum, Stuart, Brandon and Paul will return and they will be joined by the six signed up this week from Fife Elite - Matty Todd (16), Josh Robertson (17), Gregor Jordan (16), Lewis McCann (16), Lewis Crosbie (17), Kieran Swanson (16).

They have all signed for two years, John Potter explained:-

“It is important to give them a good chance. The first year can be hard, there are a lot of ups and downs and if they are all playing reserve team football and under 18s at times it will be tough. I think that they will learn a lot from it and hopefully they can all go and kick on. If not, one or two quite quickly but we are looking long term within these two years to try and push them on with the aim being to get them towards the first team.

The signings have been made because of the potential that can be seen in these players. Potts continued:-

“They are a group that I have worked with two years ago when they were under 15. I worked quite closely with them for a year, I didn’t really know them but I heard that they were a good group.

“Since then another couple of guys have come in and they have had a great season. Obviously I have been at all their games, help coach them. Grant Petrie and Robert O’Neill who took the under 17s last season have been brilliant with them, they have raved about them. They finished sixth or seventh in a league of 14 of the best teams in Scotland.

“I watched them beat Celtic, Hibs, Partick Thistle and Hearts, they drew with Rangers. We have stressed to them now that this is the big step up that is hard. now They have all deserved to get this opportunity but it is going to be tough.

“They are all delighted to sign, they all wanted to come here, they felt a big part of it last year through the academy. Three of them we have had since they were ten years old. It is difficult to keep all the way through, three players who have good quality.

“There have been times when other clubs have been interested in them but they are local guys who want to stay and want to play. To have someone in our academy that amount of time is big praise on the academy staff.

“Our academy situation is difficult at times but we feel that we have got it right and that we are bringing a bit of quality through. The numbers have been small for the last few years but we are bringing in big numbers this year because we believe that is right.

“We believe that they are good enough to kick on, every one of the boys deserved it. Credit goes to Dougie Coulston in the junior academy all the way up to Grant and Robert and all the coaches in between because they have worked well with this group and hopefully I can take them on to the next bit and towards the first team.”

JP confirmed that the club will play in the top SPFL Reserve league that will be made up of 17 or 18 clubs who play each other only once. There might possibly be a small cup competition that would take the season up to 22 games.

Six players are being brought in from the academy, there is no age restrictions but Potts expects the Reserve League to run pretty much the same way as the U20s league did.

“Personally I am glad that we will have a reserve team here I think it improves the young boys. Our team will be pretty much under 18s with a few slightly older ones and possibly a few first team squad players. In the main we will be a young team and they will continue to play some under 18 games for the academy as well.

Reserve games will be played on Mondays and Tuesdays with the default being 2.00pm on a Monday. Home matches will be played at East End Park and New Central Park, Kelty.

Views of the six Fife Elite players to follow over next few days.

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