Game: Aberdeen U20s v Ross County U20s

Competition: Scottish Youth Cup

Date: Monday 26th February 2018

Venue: North Lodge Park, Pitmedden

KO: 1700

The Aberdeen U20s enjoyed their best result of the season on Monday with a 4-1 away win against Celtic. Seb and Ethan Ross were on the scoresheet along with Bruce Anderson but coach Paul Sheerin also praised the contribution of David Dangana, after he had come on as a first half substitute for captain Dean Campbell. The result sets Paul’s side up nicely for Monday’s SFA Youth Cup quarterfinal against Ross County.

“It was a good game and one I enjoyed playing in, although I should have scored at the end! That would have been the icing on the cake. Looking back, I should have slid it in instead of trying to lace it.

“We respect Celtic, they have a lot of good players, players involved with the Scotland set up, but we have always done quite well against them at youth level. At U17 and U20 level we have had some good results in recent seasons, so the boys in the current U20 side do not fear them maybe the same way some other sides do and that is important going into these fixtures. Celtic are always the team to beat and are there or thereabouts at the end of the season, so our results against are a good test of how we are doing. But we can’t get carried away by one result. We need to kick on now.

“Looking back at the campaign to date, we started the season slowly. We were a big shaky but as the season has progressed we have got better and become stronger as a group. Last season, there was not the same togetherness. There were different groups in the dressing room, but that is not the case now. We all get on very well together. We are one unit and I think that shows on the pitch. We all work hard for each other.

“The squad has changed quite a bit over the course of the season. Some of our more senior players have gone out on loan during the campaign. Bruce Anderson went to Elgin and Connor McLennan played in the Championship with Brechin City. Both did really well and it gave all the boys a lift seeing them doing that.

David Dangana in action for Aberdeen U20s

“We then lost Harlain Mbayo and Frank Ross who went out on loan in January, although they are development loans so both are still able to play for us if needed. Players going out on loan has allowed others to get a chance. For example, Joe MacPherson has had to wait for his chance, but he is now playing in central defence alongside Sam Roscoe. Joe has stepped into the side and done very well. There are a lot of boys hungry to get game time and are ready to perform when they are called upon.

“It was disappointing losing the two games straight after the break to Motherwell and Kilmarnock. They were both narrow defeats and we probably should have got something from both games, but the wins over Hearts and Celtic have got our league campaign back on track and we are well positioned so it could be an exciting end to the season

“We also have the Youth Cup quarter-final on Monday. This is the furthest the team have got in the competition under Paul Sheerin and he has continually stressed to us just how important the competition is to the club. Finishing the season at Hampden in a cup final would be very special, but we have to take care of Ross County on Monday and that will not be easy. They are a very good side and they won the Development League last season. All the games we have played against them in the past two seasons have been very tight and I would imagine Monday will be the same. Hopefully home advantage will help and it would be great if there was a decent crowd to give us support. It is a massive game.”

David, who was born in Nigeria, moved to Scotland when he was young and was one of the first graduates of an SFA Performance School. In partnership with the Scottish FA, the programme is for boys and girls and runs from S1 to S4 and is now in its sixth year. The Scottish FA employs seven full time Performance Youth Coaches who have responsibility for the delivery of the programmes in each of the following schools: Braidhurst High School in Motherwell, Broughton High School in Edinburgh, Graeme High School in Falkirk, Grange Academy in Kilmarnock, Hazlehead Academy in Aberdeen and Holyrood Secondary School located in Glasgow.

Six graduates from the programme have now made their bow for first teams: Logan Chalmers and Scott Reekie at Dundee United, St. Mirren’s Ethan Erahon, Hearts duo Anthony McDonald and Harry Cochrane, who was the first graduate to score at first team level when he netted against Celtic in December, and our own Dean Campbell. Some 16 out of 20 players selected for Scotland Under-17s European Qualifiers were graduates of the Performance Schools.

“I have been with Aberdeen since I was 14. That was when I joined the Youth Academy. I was born in Nigeria but have basically been here all my life. I moved to Scotland when I was four. I still have grandparents in Nigeria and have family across in the world.

“I went to SFA Performance School at Hazlehead. I was there the first year the school was introduced. Because of that we were the guinea pigs a little bit and there were quite a few changes made as we went along but it was still a very good experience and very beneficial. Now the course would be a lot smoother for the players coming through the programme and it appears to be very successful.

“Normally you would think the transition of training every day would be hard but because we had done that in school I was used it. It allows to you come in and hit the ground running when you become a full time professional and can then spend more time working on your game and focusing on the technical side and not just worrying about your fitness. That is a really big positive.

“I actually scored in my first start for the U20s the season before that in 2015/2016 when I was still at school. It was against Hibs. It seems a while ago now!

“Last season was my first year as a full time professional although I was still able to play for the U17s. We had a really good season at that level and came very close to winning the league. Archie Mair, Joe MacPherson, Ethan Ross, Seb Ross, Chris Antoniazzi, Jack MacKenzie and Dean Campbell were all involved in that side.

“Second season, everything is slightly easier. The legs are not as sore after games! The pace of the 20s games are a massive jump from the 17s, so now I am getting used to the pace because of the amount of game time I am getting. The first couple of games were a bit of a shock to the system. I am hoping to get as much game time as possible between now and the end of the season and hopefully I can keep improving.

“I am out of contact in the summer so it is a big couple of months for me. It is an important time in my career, but you cannot let it affect your game. I just have to keep working hard it training and giving my all and what will happen will happen.

“I started off as a striker but I went through the age groups I turned into more of a midfield or I played just in behind the striker. I played there for a couple for a couple of years and last season I played up top again and that has been my main position when I have played for the 20s.

“Being a striker, there is a lot of competition for places. You have Bruce and Connor who have returned from successful loan spells and you also have some of the first team squad who drop down and play from time to time. So I just have to make sure every time I get an opportunity I give it 100% and do my best.

“I am relatively pleased with how I have done this season. I think my overall contribution to the team has been good, but all strikers are judged on goals and I have not scored as many as I would have liked. My mindset is that it will come. I think the goals will come if I continue my form and continue to work hard and listen to the advice I get from Paul Sheerin.”