Today we pay a visit to the Glasgow and District Youth Football League, the seven year old league has three sections, 13, 14s and 19s, the league is designed in such a way to allow a substantial development phase throughout the two younger age groups to ready the potential to be showcased in the 19s section.
The formula has proven successful, consisting of over 150 teams it is now bursting with talented footballers, the teenage enthusiasm looking to follow in the footsteps of someone like Andrew Robertson.
To date the 19s section gives us a strong selection of teams, three of which now boast an unbeaten record, which in itself is a important talking point but obviously the main focus of the younger age groups is development so today’s conversation is how the talent for this sort of performance is offered up.
First club in question is Arsenal BC which has a similar structure in place to the league, having only formed in 2012 the small Glasgow based club are focused on quality rather than quantity having only two age groups in place, they express their football through a U12s group along with the aforementioned 19s, development taking place at the Firhill Complex. Antonine Blacks are a different case, the club was formed in 2001 it has grown to a level where scouting parties from professional Scottish clubs are weekly visitors. Moorlands BC have constructed from the ground up, years of work culminated in being awarded the quality mark in 2013, the Uddingston based club have again for a full range of age groups providing a safe place for each individual to develop and progress onto the next level.
Each club also boast sizeable wins to their name, and after six games each club have still to taste defeat, evidence suggests that it will take something special to put a stop to such impressive progress.