Dons involved in the Scotland U18 squad

The AFC Youth Academy received a boost recently when Aberdeen players Stuart Close, Scott McKenna and Ritchie Petrie were picked for the Scotland U18 squad for the Schools Centenary Shield.

The Scotland side will play four matches against all the home nations – Wales, Northern Ireland and England – as well as the Republic of Ireland in February, March and April. AFC Youth Academy Chief Scout Colin Grant gave us the lowdown on the three Dons stars.

“Scott McKenna has been with us for quite some time. He is from Kirriemuir and has been with us since he came into the U11 side. He started off as a left-back but recently played for the U17s as a centre-back. He has done really well in recent years and thanks to coaches Scott Anderson and Colin Walker he has come on again really well this year. He is certainly one to keep an eye on long term and he will hopefully be making the step up to join the U20s full time next season.

“Stuart Close was signed from Dyce Boys Club after they won the U15s Juvenile Scottish Cup at Airdrie. Stuart played very well in that game and he was invited in to train with us for a six week block and did well enough to continue on. He played a few games, again did well with the U17s and seems to be progressing well under Neil Cooper since coming in as a full time professional. Stuart is a centre back but can also play at right back. He played at right back recently for the U20 side when he came on in the game against Hearts with 20 minutes to go and did a good job.

“Richie Petrie is also a product of Dyce Boys Club. They have had a very successful spell recently and became the first club in Scotland to win the Scottish Cup for three consecutive years in consecutive age groups when they added the 16s age group to the 15s and 14s they won the previous two seasons. Richie can play in midfield or at the back. He recently represented Scotland in the Sky Sports Victory Shield against Wales, Northern Ireland and England. He played extremely well in that game against England from midfield. Again he is another player who has shown a lot of progression in recent years thanks to the quality of coaching in the Academy.

“Richie was actually part of the programme when he was 12 but then left before coming back in again. He is a good example to others that even if you get released, if you go away and work hard at your game and you can still make it. Michael Rose is another player who left and then came back to the Academy. He has since come in as a full time professional and is doing well this season.

“Hopefully these three players will go on and keeping making the progress they have been making with the help of the coaches. I see a good future for them. Overall, there is much to be optimistic about in 2013 and the years ahead. We have some good players coming through the Academy and hopefully forcing their way into what is already a very good U20s side. The performance against Hearts is their final game before the winter break was fantastic. To beat any Hearts side 6-1 was some achievement.

“It was a very young team as well. I had a football person with me who was watching the side for the first time. He could not believe how good the crop we have got coming through together is. We are hoping they stick together and come through like the famous Manchester United side with Beckham, Scholes, the Nevilles and Giggs”.