Youngsters Prepare For Semi-Final
Congratulations to Chris Hillcoat and his under-17 squad in winning their Youth League Cup Section A and subsequent qualification to the semi-final where they will face a home tie against Raith Rovers, who finished runner-up to St.Johnstone in Section B.
Prior to their recent defeat at the hands of Queen of the South, the lads had already secured the winning of their Group recording six straight wins over Airdrie, Queens Park, Gretna, Albion Rovers, St.Mirren and Hamilton (see Fixtures / Results section).
The lads have developed tremendously since the start of their season back in August. As a result of their hard work and industry both at training and on the field of play, the squad are now reaping the benefits in this hotly contested League Cup. One noticeable major factor in evidence is the willingness to play as a unit and for each other. Sure, they suffered a heavy loss on Friday, maybe down to the fact that they had already qualified (perhaps complacency) however it may just have served a wake up call which is something the coaching staff will be at pains to point out.
Our youth setup is, and always will be, about the developing and the honing of young talent, with any thoughts of silverware always secondary, but from the young players perspective they will of course measure success in various ways; it’s the nature of the competitive beast. We wish them well in their forthcoming semi-final, details of which will be confirmed at a later date.
The last remaining semi-final place should depend on the outcome of the upcoming Hamilton Accies v Queen of the South clash (see league tables below).
Under-17 squad: Hanley, Higgins, McDevitt, Dornan, Harris, Napier, Gallagher, Lamb, Johnston, Flaherty, McKeever, McLean, Connelly, McNaught, McGowan, McJimpsey, Kirk and Thorburn.
LEAGUE TABLES
Section A
| as at 30/4 | P | W | L | D | F | A | (GD) | PTS | |
| Q | CLYDE | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 11 | 11 | 18 |
| 2 | St.Mirren | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 10 | 12 | 13 |
| 3 | Hamilton | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 13 |
| 4 | Queen of South | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 9 | 13 | 12 |
| 5 | Queen’s Park | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 16 | -5 | 7 |
| 6 | Airdrie United | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 19 | -9 | 4 |
| 7 | Gretna | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 24 | -16 | 3 |
| 8 | Albion Rovers | 6 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 21 | -13 | 2 |
Section B
| as at 30/4 | P | W | L | D | F | A | (GD) | PTS | |
| Q | St.Johnstone | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 12 | 16 | 19 |
| Q | Raith Rovers | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 15 |
| 3 | Stenhousemuir | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 10 |
| 4 | Falkirk | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 10 |
| 5 | Inverness CT | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 7 |
| 6 | Cowdenbeath | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 16 | -7 | 7 |
| 7 | Stirling Albion | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 24 | -9 | 3 |
| 8 | Arbroath | 7 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 20 | -16 | 1 |
Click here to view the under-17 fixture list.
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