Darren Fletcher and Hibs.....

[VegasHibby]

Has this been brought up before ? don't remember this at all....


http://www.tribalfootball.com/hibs-tried-sign-man-utds-fletcher-park-359581

[Steve-O]

My understanding is that we tried to sign him, but Man Utd came along and the decision was made.

Pretty sure he was never actually at Hibs though.

[CRAZYHIBBY]

if he did sign we would have lost him for 1 or 2 million the next season anyway

[Winston Ingram]

he's definately played in youth games for us.

[Callum_62]

Darren was signed for Man U pretty early on (couldnt officialy sign due to age restriction though).

Was at Celtic for many seasons.....after Celtic didnt put a team in the initiative league, alot of the boys moved over to Hibs with our then manager, Hugh Mcgorm(?).

that was during the 1st division season.....Darren had already agreed to go to UTD at that point.

Hibs was a ****ing SHAMBLES youth wise at that point.

never thought id say it, but Hearts at the time were a far better set up....shouldve signed for them instead of blindly signing for Hibs.

Heart rules head tho eh!!

[jacomo]

I never knew about this. I suppose these kind of stories helped persuade the club to invest in its youth set up... we have a better chance of holding onto players these days.

[Andy Bee]

Was Fletcher not signed from Hutchison Vale by Ferguson?

Interesting to note that around the same time HV had players like Derek Riordan, Goc, Steven Whitaker and Kevin Thomson, did they all play in the same team?

[phatic]

Interesting to note that around the same time HV had players like Derek Riordan, Goc, Steven Whitaker and Kevin Thomson, did they all play in the same team?


Yeah I played a few times against that team around U15 or U16. The only one I don't remember is Thomson, although perhaps he was doing the unseen work? :wink:

At the time, by far the most impressive player was Steven McLean, who now plays for Plymouth. Remember him scoring for fun against us...

[Scotthibs1875]

Was Fletcher not signed from Hutchison Vale by Ferguson?

Interesting to note that around the same time HV had players like Derek Riordan, Goc, Steven Whitaker and Kevin Thomson, did they all play in the same team?
Yeah they did play for hutchie, for about 2 seconds! And they take credit for it:bitchy:

[Gregor]

My faint recollection about the shambles that was our Youth setup, was when Duff Jimmy came along, he severed the long-term links with Hutchie Vale (Donald Park might have got the heave-ho as well ... and seem to recall stories linking Strachan - then manager at Coventry - to Hutchie Vale). Hibs then took over the Celtic BC in Edinburgh and renamed them Hibs BC.

John Park probably came along when Red Lexo came along to try and save us from the drop, and thus the rebuilding began.

[wandering_hibby]

They got it from this interview from John Park in the Sunday Mail

http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/sport-news/scottish-football/international-football/2009/10/04/the-hoemgrown-talent-is-there-for-scottish-clubs-to-benefit-from-says-john-park-78057-21721628/

Pretty intersting read, never really thought about how "the golden geration" never won anything at youth level. Simply as they were playing for the reserves from early on and gaining more experiance.

Probably a thread hi-jack here, but as Byrne looks to have no chance of getting a first team game at the moment with so many experiance stirkers, and with no reserve league now. Should we not be trying to get some of these boys that came up from under 19s out on loan asap to get some competitive experiance?

[Future17]

Fletcher trained with Hibs, Rangers & Celtic before going to Man United. The club he was signed to when United came calling was Musselburgh Windsor.

[VegasHibby]

Interesting to note that around the same time HV had players like Derek Riordan, Goc, Steven Whitaker and Kevin Thomson, did they all play in the same team?


Yeah I played a few times against that team around U15 or U16. The only one I don't remember is Thomson, although perhaps he was doing the unseen work? :wink:

At the time, by far the most impressive player was Steven McLean, who now plays for Plymouth. Remember him scoring for fun against us...



Did Riordan show any of the touches that he has today ?

[Callum_62]

Darren was 'verbally' signed to Man U well before his Mussy Windsor days!

I played alonside Fletch from 9 or 10.

started off at Tynie....both moved onto Celtic Boys for a few years before Eric Black chose not to join the initiative league.

Hence some of the lads went over to Hibs.....I think we used something like 35 different players in 5 or 6 weeks.....new faces turning up every week...was a total sham man!

during the Celtic period we had alot of very good players....surprised more didnt make it.

Darren Fletcher
Gregor Robertson (sure he was at Forrest).
Stephen Payne (a wee spell with Aberdeen).
Chris King (brother of Charlie)....still the most skilfull player ive played with....bit of a pool shark too!! haha
Stephen Gray (tranent lad....shouldve made it).
Ryan Daly (fastest thing on 2 legs!)

some more that ive probably forgotton about too.

Remember playing with Shaun (forget his 2nd name) at Hibs....he made quite a few appearences at Motherwell.....he was a right dick tho!!

[DirtyDeeds]

Was Fletcher not signed from Hutchison Vale by Ferguson?

Interesting to note that around the same time HV had players like Derek Riordan, Goc, Steven Whitaker and Kevin Thomson, did they all play in the same team?

GOC and Riordan were a year ahead of me I think and maybe played a season at Hutchie Vale. Pretty sure GOC played a lot of his youth football at Musselburgh Windsor as a midfielder, my mates dad was the gaffer and stuck him up front one week, decent decision! Riordan played a number of years at Granton Sports as a young player (like all us greats!!), he was always noted as a finisher but other guys certainly stood out more.

Whittaker and Thomson were in the same Hutchie team though, they were the wingers i think!! Played agaisnt them a few times, as a left back i got a fair chasing more than once by Whittaker and also Darren Fletcher against Celtic BC. Think Pat Clarke (now of Dundee) was in that side with Fletcher, absolute goal machine.

KT was a left winger for definite, massive blonde pudding bowl hair cut, immense crosser of the ball at that age and was well known in youth football. Went down to Coventry for a year due to the link-up mentioned by a previous poster but he got home sick, Strachan allowed him to come home. Think he only became centre midfielder at Hibs. Also saw Whittaker score one of the best goals iv seen against my school team in a Scottish Cup match, think he was at Lasswade. Tore us apart, you'd think he'd get bored of humiliating me in club football!!

Still pains me to see Kirk Broadfoot playing at the level he does, he was so average its painful. Alan Hutton was an express train even as a young guy, dirty git though. Everyone knew who he was and that he'd be signing for der Hun.

Love all those youth football days, 5s at the Corn Exchange doesnt fill the void even a little!!!

[PaulSmith]

Does anyone think that it's a pity now how the best guys are taken on at initiative football at 11, 12 or 13 and never play (or play a few games before being picked up) for the Hutchie Vales, Tynecastles, Salvesons etc these days

[JIm]

Darren was 'verbally' signed to Man U well before his Mussy Windsor days!

I played alonside Fletch from 9 or 10.

started off at Tynie....both moved onto Celtic Boys for a few years before Eric Black chose not to join the initiative league.

Hence some of the lads went over to Hibs.....I think we used something like 35 different players in 5 or 6 weeks.....new faces turning up every week...was a total sham man!

during the Celtic period we had alot of very good players....surprised more didnt make it.

Darren Fletcher
Gregor Robertson (sure he was at Forrest).
Stephen Payne (a wee spell with Aberdeen).
Chris King (brother of Charlie)....still the most skilfull player ive played with....bit of a pool shark too!! haha
Stephen Gray (tranent lad....shouldve made it).
Ryan Daly (fastest thing on 2 legs!)

some more that ive probably forgotton about too.

Remember playing with Shaun (forget his 2nd name) at Hibs....he made quite a few appearences at Motherwell.....he was a right dick tho!!

Think Stevie Gray went down to Nottingham? Now a posty if my info is correct! Chris King is with Musselburgh Juniors. Him and his brother are outstanding, albeit they carry a wee bit weight but very good strikers!

[yekimevol]

i have heard off several (not all trustworthy) people that he was in the youth team for about 3 weeks and that man u(:jamboak:) done a chelsea and nicked him

[Auckland Hibs]

Think Stevie Gray went down to Nottingham? Now a posty if my info is correct! Chris King is with Musselburgh Juniors. Him and his brother are outstanding, albeit they carry a wee bit weight but very good strikers!

Is that the same Chuckie King?

[Callum_62]

nah, Chris's older bro Charlie was always known as Chuckie....he played alongside my older bro with Celtic too....when Andy Petrie was in charge.

hes at Bechin or somewhere now eh?

Haggy also played in that team (the guy was was killed in his home, burned his feet etc)

Haggys younger bro was at Denny for a while....a giant!

Surprised Steven Gray never made it, excellent player at that age.

Tadg Moriarty was another one I thought wouldve made it, played with my older bro too

[Auckland Hibs]

nah, Chris's older bro Charlie was always known as Chuckie....he played alongside my older bro with Celtic too....when Andy Petrie was in charge.

hes at Bechin or somewhere now eh?

Haggy also played in that team (the guy was was killed in his home, burned his feet etc)

Haggys younger bro was at Denny for a while....a giant!

Surprised Steven Gray never made it, excellent player at that age.

Tadg Moriarty was another one I thought wouldve made it, played with my older bro too


Yeah, it's the brothers I was thinking about. Many Moons ago I used to play footie with them both down Piershill, Chuckie was a cracking player and I thought he would make the big time. His Bro was a young lad at the time (9-10) but had real ability for someone so young.