(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.

[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.

[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

[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

[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.

[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!
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It however also included a few matches as a 'ringer' for a few colleges and the Scottish Office (as it was then) summer league.
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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.