(NHC) Your youth football career

[bob12345]

I've recently been putting together a feature that looks at the youth careers of current day and ex pros, which I've found really interesting. Made me think, how many of the boys clubs from the previous generation are still going?

Here's a link to the guys we've interviewed.

Who did you play for back in the day (and for most of us, where did it all go wrong)?

My personal route included Edinburgh South, Edinburgh City, Forfar, CSS, Spartans and Hutchie. All still going strong!

[McKenzie]

CSS since i was about 6 til now (16)

[MSK]

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I've recently been putting together a feature that looks at the youth careers of current day and ex pros, which I've found really interesting. Made me think, how many of the boys clubs from the previous generation are still going?

Here's a link to the guys we've interviewed.

Who did you play for back in the day (and for most of us, where did it all go wrong)?

My personal route included Edinburgh South, Edinburgh City, Forfar, CSS, Spartans and Hutchie. All still going strong!

My personal route went from trials at Edina hibs ..trials at St Bernards ...then onto amateur football where i remained for many years ..& i loved every minute of it ..

[The Voice Of Reason]

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I've recently been putting together a feature that looks at the youth careers of current day and ex pros, which I've found really interesting. Made me think, how many of the boys clubs from the previous generation are still going?

Here's a link to the guys we've interviewed.

Who did you play for back in the day (and for most of us, where did it all go wrong)?

My personal route included Edinburgh South, Edinburgh City, Forfar, CSS, Spartans and Hutchie. All still going strong!

Interesting site mate - good work.

I played for Salveson, Hutchie Vale, Hearts (duck), Stenhousemuir, Edinburgh United then finally Edinburgh Amatuer with a couple of teams. Those were the days !

[JE89]

Played for Beechwood boys club back in the day. Pretty sure they are still running and a lot better than when I played. Pretty sure I saw someone on here with their badge as his avatar.

Think I stopped as a few of my mates left to go elsewhere and lazyness kicked in.

[lucky]

St Bernard's boys club, Broughton boys club back to St Bernard's then of to watch Hibs on Saturdays then the amateur game

[H18sry]

Started at the BB's then moved on to Royston BC then Leith Percy then joined the Navy where I played at Ship level against other ship's and establishments, [I also took and passed my referees exam], when home on leave I played Saturday and Sunday amateur with a few sides including ST Andrews and the Black Swan on Saturday's and Chesser on Sundays, played Saturday mornings with Carlton Hibs [when they won the cup 3 seasons out of 4 ] then Carlton got fed up playing the mickey mouse other branches so we joined the SSL on a Sunday morning.

[Pretty Boy]

I started off at Inch before playing for Hutchie Vale and Dunedin at youth level. Moved to Dundee Utd at 15 and then Dunfermilne at 17 during the 'initiative' phase of Scottish youth football. Ended up at Spartans for a season at under 19s before playing a season in the East of Scotland league. Went up to Aberdeen Uni and played for them for 2 years before playing 2 years in the Highland League with Cove Rangers.

I'm currently enjoying a spell in the Edinburgh Sunday leagues.

[Stevie Reid]

I played for Tynie for a couple of years, was horrendous pulling on a maroon shirt every week. A couple of years at Prestonfield after that.

Like many, I didn't progress as well as I hoped despite showing good potential at a young age, but I also became completely disillusioned with the complete lack of coaching, and the encouraging shouts of "good ball" from the touchlines whenever someone thumped the ball forward aimlessly.

When I played my first game a right back for Tynie having been moved from centre midfield, I was told when the team was read out five minutes before kick off - "you'll be fine". When I was being "coached" to play sweeper for Pressie, I was just instructed to belt the ball out of play anytime it came near me.

[ozwoody]

I played for edina,porty thistle,royston rosebury in my youth,also played for tamsons when i was 15 for 3 seasons,although sheila behind the bar never let us have any more than 4 pints "cause we were still wee laddies" (whatever happened to her) it was more like a mcgacchie select at the time,there were 4 of them playing in the team! (and john made a couple of guest appearences)gave it up for few years and now have been playing over 35s in sydney for the last three years.I always thought i would walk out on the pitch at easter road one day (mind you,i would get slaughtered after a bad game im sure .great days tho

[johncrobertson@]

Started with Edinburgh Norton and then to Musselburgh Union. Joined Haddington Athletic in the Junior League. Then move to Rufaro Rovers in Salisbury Rhodesia around 1972.

Came back for my brothers wedding and watched a few Hibs games including League Cup win over Celtic. Last game I watched before going back to Rhodesia was 0-7 game.

Came back home a year later and played with Pilton in the Welfare League.

[patlowe]

Played for Portland Star and then for Leith Athletic until I was about 20, seen a few of the guys around Leith 'make it' recently (was in the same team as Darren McGregor, the year above Danny Swanson and a few years above Lee Currie and Leigh Griffith's team). Ian Black, Christophe Berra and Liam Buchanan are a few of the guys from other teams in that league that are still playing at a decent level. As for myself, pretty much chucked it in my late teens, played for the uni team for a bit, spent half a season at Broughton and now I'm plying my trade in the Sunday leagues!

[scott7_0(Prague)]

Royston Roseberries,
Salveson,
BMC
Glenpark
North Mechiston
Drum

Livingston Juniors

Managed to represent Scotland officially 3times from 16's to 18's.

[Baker9]

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I've recently been putting together a feature that looks at the youth careers of current day and ex pros, which I've found really interesting. Made me think, how many of the boys clubs from the previous generation are still going?

Here's a link to the guys we've interviewed.

Who did you play for back in the day (and for most of us, where did it all go wrong)?

My personal route included Edinburgh South, Edinburgh City, Forfar, CSS, Spartans and Hutchie. All still going strong!

Great theme for a thread. Throughout the country there have been exceptional boys clubs that ran or have run for years and launched the careers of hundreds of pros. In a players ‘list of teams played for’ it is very rare to see these clubs get a mention. That’s a shame. The pro club scouts knew they were ‘filters’ for the best talents and it made it easy for them.

In my day they were run by real enthusiasts and good judges of players. Salvesen (Bob Bankier?), St Bernards (Stuart Tulloch, his brothers and Peter?) Hutchison Vale (Jimmy?).

[jackhfc]

Cramond
East Craigs School
Salveson
Edinburgh City
CSS
Edinburgh South
AC Oxgangs

[Jack]

CCS for the whole of my illustrious career. I even got a signing on fee when I threatened to leave one summer. Aye that pint of lager and 2 packets of cheese and onion was about all I was worth!
.
It however also included a few matches as a 'ringer' for a few colleges and the Scottish Office (as it was then) summer league.
.
That was a great league where teams often included the new boy - the likes of Hibs Willie Murray and I think Bobby Smith although I never saw him and other 'new boys' who were more regularly seen playing for Hearts, Motherwell, Falkirk and a host of Fife clubs.

[Randerson_4]

Without much success, played for Caley BC, Cramond BC, Fernie BC, and now play Sunday amateur

Didn't play with or against anyone of much note, but once went to a final at Dunbar (u15/16s?) Royston against Edina (a mate played for each team) & Royston had Ryan Flynn(pre-Liverpool). Absolutely ran the show, looked like a young Joe Cole, was outstanding

[Houchy]

I started off playing for Hutchie Vale at a young age before moving to North Merchiston U14's for a few years before moving to Broomhall Saints for U16's. We won the league and I finished top scorer but they decided not to join the Juvinile league. I was then asked to join Cramond but knocked them back. I then joined East Fife part time under Jimmy Bone but couldn't be bothered with the travelling so didn't hang about too long (stupid Lazy schoolkid). My final team was Edina Hibs U21's.

[Spike Mandela]

Salvesen Boys club late 70's early 80's. Same team as Kano and Callum Milne. 3 Scottish Cup Finals ,winning two of them.

Gary MacKay's dad was our manager at one point. Gary was a good lad believe it or not.

[linlithgowhibbie]

In the late 60s started with Restalrig boys club down at Pirniefield(Leith Links), trialled at Links BC, hit my own bar twice in the trial and never heard from them again, 1 season in saturday amateurs, then many years in Maybury and Sunday amateur leagues, brill times

[borstalboy]

Hutchie, Leith, Cavalry Park, Then Hutchie again.....then went into Junior football and got injured

[Ritchie]

Played for Eskmill & Dalmore boys club but then dropped out of football when i had to make the switch from playing sundays to saturdays..... chose going to easter road instead of playing.

only got back into football proper a few years ago.

had a short spell at South Gyle before they got chucked out the league and now play for the mighty hibeernian afc!

[Frazerbob]

Heriots and Leith Accies.......football's for pansies!

[BigKev]

I played with Salvesen to under 16's before brief spells with Liberton United and North Merchiston.

Enjoyed a 10 year Sunday career... mainly with Gilmerton Star with a few "guest" appearances for others

Combined playing for Salvi with Dunfermline who were really a Captains Cabin (now Liberton Utd) select!

[MSK]

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I played with Salvesen to under 16's before brief spells with Liberton United and North Merchiston.

Enjoyed a 10 year Sunday career... mainly with Gilmerton Star with a few "guest" appearances for others

Combined playing for Salvi with Dunfermline who were really a Captains Cabin (now Liberton Utd) select!

Played many a time v Gilmerton Star whilst playing for Kings Park..cracking games (which i dont think we ever won).........

[hibeeleicester]

Played for Musselburgh Windsor. And currently playing for Barrow U18's (with a month at Quorn).

[easty]

Broomhall Saints

Westside (who were truly awful, and where I quit when I thought I might get a kick in from people on my own team!!)

Partizan (Sunday mornings)

South Gyle (by far the most fun I've had playing for anyone)

The Acorn (Leeds sunday pub team)

Leeds Medics & Dentists

Corstorphine (few games at the start of this season)

Glenpark, now.

[fatbloke]

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In the late 60s started with Restalrig boys club down at Pirniefield(Leith Links), trialled at Links BC, hit my own bar twice in the trial and never heard from them again, 1 season in saturday amateurs, then many years in Maybury and Sunday amateur leagues, brill times

And I can testify that you have hit a few bars since.

[aussie_hibee]

Played on and off for ainslie park and granton ? (based out of the Royston wardieburn community centre) as well as a brief spell at Portland star. Never lasted too long as I had a bad habit of telling the coaches they were talking $h!t. 1.) they probably were but I don't think they appreciated being told that and how to do it better from a 13 year old.
2.) I still do that now and I'm 31...!
Moved to perth, W.A. And Played at sorrento for 3 years before moving to joondalup for 11 years with a one year break at floreat where we won the league undefeated. Just moved back to floreat.
This is W.A. State league and one level below the A-League that brebner is in. Played alongside and good friends with Rhys Williams - boro and capped for Australia. Shane Lowry - Aston villa and called in to Australia squad but yet to be capped. Played against and never struggled against Richard Garcia - hull city and capped for Oz. As well as probably 10 more who play A-League. Always felt I was good enough but obviously not eh...!?? The Australian Market didn't really open up until I was late 20's although I had a brief spell at Dunfermline under the 2 jimmys. I was offered to stay on a month by month basis without pay to prove myself. I done the first month and was offered the next. I finished training that day at 12 and had a few days to think about it. I felt a bit homesick for Oz and somehow I ended up back in Oz 48 hours later. I didn't even tell the club. No regrets though as I met my now wife and mother of my children the weekend I got back in Perth...!

[HibeeHutch]

Broughton Boys Club
Portland Star Boys Club
(*Hibs under 14s *Dundee Utd under 14s)
Salvesen
Midlothian
Lochend United