Always feel the younger lot we have at club never get a fair crack of whip.  Just looking over many a stat this season.  Against Old Firm we have a 19 year old Bruce Anderson who salvaged us said draw at home to Rangers, Scott McKenna early twenties netting winner in reverse fixture, Lewis Ferguson (19) sending us to League Cup Final after heading crucial Semi-Final goal plus his strike albeit a losing one versus Celtic.  I mean in such short space of time Ferguson has scored vital goals including Kilmarnock away, Pittodrie victory over Livingston, plus sending Burnley tie into extra-time.  Even Sam Cosgrove netted some double where last match with Govan outfit were concerned admittedly it didn't see one win anything overall.  Seventeen year old Dean Campbell also nicked winning goal Almondvale way.

   

Guess what I'm maybe asking is are we getting enough from our 'Old Guard'???       

There is a school of thought that DM doesn't develop youth very well. The numbers of youngsters breaking through into first team regulars would tend to back this theory up.

 

However we have seen McKenna not just become a first team regular, but also a Scotland regular (and has captained them to boot). Ferguson was bought as "one for the future" but has astonished everyone by being a first team regular right from the off and has increased the cash investment at least tenfold already.

 

Scott Wright got reasonable game time, didn't really shine but is now getting a regular game for Dundee which should show by summer if he is the real deal or if he's just a bit below what we need. Should've happened a year ago but better late than never. McLennan would have been vying with him for a place so with Wright away he should get extra first team experience that possibly would have been shared with Scotty. Hopefully will kick on and be the natural replacement for GMS.

 

Anderson was unlucky to get as few minutes as he did but DM had to play his £400k striker and the marquee loan signing initially. Didn't look out of place and had Cosgrove not suddenly developed 8nto a goal machine at the back end of last year, I suspect it might have been Cosgrove who got punted out on loan and Anderson retained but again the first team minutes he will gain will stand him in good stead going forward. Campbell I think has the biggest future of them all but is obviously still very young. A regular bench place and getting 15- 20 minutes here and there is fine for now. Once Shinnie leaves, we should see him getting some starts next season with a view to having him as a first pick by season 20/21, although if he does well he could be a regular by this time next year.

 

So DM has certainly given youth it's chance this season. Previous seasons I just don't think the youth options were either good enough or just not developed physically and/or mentally to cope with first team football.