The Aberdeen U17s are in for an exciting end to the season as they push for a league title. The Youth League, which sees the winners take part in the UEFA Youth League next season, could still be won by the Dons, Rangers, Hamilton Accies or Celtic.
 
Aberdeen beat Celtic 2-0 away from home at the start of the season whilst the return game recently was postponed at Celtic’s request and is one of a number of games still to be rescheduled. A couple of weeks ago at New Douglas Park, Scott Anderson’s side went down to ten men against Hamilton when Scotland schoolboy keeper Archie Mair was sent off within the first five minutes, yet Aberdeen incredibly scored a last minute winner to secure a vital three points.

Last week they beat Dundee United 1-0. Over the next four Sunday’s they play Fife Elite this week, then face Rangers, St Mirren and Kilmarnock and then have rearranged games against Celtic, Hearts and Ayr United to fit in before the season’s end.

Coach Scott Anderson, who has seen his side sit at the top of the table for much of the campaign, spoke with RedMatchday Magazine gave us an update on where things stand: “We have seven games to go. It is still very tight between the top four sides. All the top teams have still to play each other so we are in a good position ahead of the run in.

“We have challenged the boys this season to win the league. From the start of the campaign we have said that it is a competitive league, it is the first time they have played with a league table attached to it. Don’t get me wrong, performance is still vitally important but we wanted to get across to the players that they are now playing for something in terms of the three points being meaningful every week. We have got that across from the start of the season and after starting so well, we felt we needed to continue to push the fact that we want to go and win the league.

“At the start of the season we always had a bigger squad at 17s level than the other age groups because we had the five full time players in Joe MacPherson, David Dangana, Chris Antoniazzi, Lewis Hutchison and Seb Ross. Since things have developed with the 20s, it has opened up opportunities for the full-time boys to get game time because you need to weigh up the importance of developing them and not just holding them back to win a league at 17s level.

“Individually, they need to be pushed on and be stretched. We have managed it quite well where if they are getting game time at 20s then we stay away from them. If they need topping up, we can still utilise them at 17s. Generally, they all enjoy being part of the team on a Sunday because of the success we have had, so they are quite happy to step back down and there is also a really good spirit within the group.

“Over the next five, six weeks we have got seven games at U17s level and eight games for the U20s, so we are looking at playing Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday. There will be a lot of game time for the boys but it is a challenge I think they will cope with.

“As well as the five full-time boys, we have also got to have a look at some of the younger lads at U20 level. Archie Mair has been involved, Jevan Anderson has now made a couple of appearances, Jack MacKenzie, Dean Campbell, Terry Taylor, Ethan Ross started a game, Jack Chesser, Tyler Chicken came on the other week.

“So ten to twelve of the 17 squad have been involved with the 20s which again for me shows the link between the youth academy and the football department is really strong at the club. It shows the pathway is working. There are opportunities there for the young ones to progress and it is then up to them to take that opportunity.”