When was the last time we produced a number 9?

C

Camby loyalist

Well-Known Member
Seeing that our academy chief is offski made me think, when was the last time we brought through a striker? A proper goalscorer?

Not someone who left and came back but someone who came through our academy or from U21s etc?
 
There are two outcomes and realities from our academy.

The odd player here and there will sometimes feature in first tram squad but probably not as a mainstay regular starter.

If and when we do unearth a genuine gem he will be off to England, a la Gilmour.

I'd urge people not to get too excited about what the academy produces because it will rarely benefit the actual first team much.
 
Cooper's left peg said:
There are two outcomes and realities from our academy.

The odd player here and there will sometimes feature in first tram squad but probably not as a mainstay regular starter.

If and when we do unearth a genuine gem he will be off to England, a la Gilmour.

I'd urge people not to get too excited about what the academy produces because it will rarely benefit the actual first team much.
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That's the problem now isn't It. If we do get one that's good enough they'll be lured down south by the money on offer.
We do the same to other clubs so I suppose we can't complain.

Striker seems a difficult position to fill , even when going out and trying to spend money on one, so wouldn't expect many good enough for that position to come through our youths.
 
We've produced them, they just haven't been good enough or have moved elsewhere before playing for us.

To answer the question in the manner intended. It's probably Robert Fleck, he's the last one we've produced that made an impact. Like I said, we've produced others, but they've never been able to make a lasting impression.

I think Rory Wilson would have featured at some point in the last few seasons if he'd stayed with us, but I guess we'll never know. I had hopes for Ure, but even he was let go and is now at Anderlecht, who have a better record of producing home-grown players than we do. Which is just bizarre tbh.
 
In a different era, Gary McSwegan would have been more than serviceable. To be fair, his record for us must have been alright.

I’d say striker is probably the hardest position for is to produce.

Edit: Amazed to read he only scored 5 times for us and only played 24. Had in my head he played a fair bit more than that.
 
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Cooper's left peg said:
There are two outcomes and realities from our academy.

The odd player here and there will sometimes feature in first tram squad but probably not as a mainstay regular starter.

If and when we do unearth a genuine gem he will be off to England, a la Gilmour.

I'd urge people not to get too excited about what the academy produces because it will rarely benefit the actual first team much.
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You’re right, McCausland being the best the academy has produced for a while, but is struggling to manage first team football.
 
When has Scotland produced a good striker. even now we have an Aussie striker I would imagine Mo Johnstone and Lou Macari Joe jordon were the last big name strikers. Did Jordon ever play for a team in Scotland?
 
John Spencer, Gary McSwegan and Robert Fleck, in fact when has any team in Scotland produced a top Quality 9, we are back in the 80’s!
 
Vinted said:
I hate to say it again but I blame the stopping of School football. That left a huge vacume in Scottish football.
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Very true, my own secondary school in Drumchapel produced many who went professional, Andy Gray, Alex Miller, Danny McGrain, Gregor Stevens, John MacDonald, Kenny McDowell among others
 
The physical nature of the Scottish game holds back the development of technical players.

Lenient referees allow hammer throwers to get away with too much rough and tumble, as a result promising technical youth players get their careers ended by injury before they can reach the top level.

Bottom line is Scotland needs much stricter refereeing to make the game less physical and more technical.
 
Jim Prideaux said:
In a different era, Gary McSwegan would have been more than serviceable. To be fair, his record for us must have been alright and he his the winner in a cup final to go with a Champions League goal.

I’d say striker is probably the hardest position for is to produce.

Edit: Amazed to read he only scored 5 times for us and only played 24. Had in my head he played a fair bit more than that.
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My memory may be going but what Cup Final winner did McSwegan score for us?

Obviously he scored at Broomfield to win the title but don't recall a cup final goal.
 
Whats going on with the boy we got from Millwall? Lovelace, thats it. I had high hopes for him but not heard anything after he got injured at the start of the season.
 
Robert Marshall said:
I know that the OP asked the last number 9 to come through the ranks, and never mentioned playing for us, he should never been let go, Celtic signed him that week and gave him £30K to sign
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Think the OP is looking for someone who came through the youth ranks and into the first team.

Don’t disagree re releasing Beattie, although he didn’t prove to be much of a miss.
 
Craigie said:
My memory may be going but what Cup Final winner did McSwegan score for us?

Obviously he scored at Broomfield to win the title but don't recall a cup final goal.
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No, no. It was me that made a Noel Hunt of it.

I’d misremembered that Broomfield goal as a cup winner.
 
It's worth considering the top clubs around the world, those who are expected to win pretty much every game, and asking the same question. It's probably the most difficult role/position to play young players under those circumstances.

You'll have exceptions to the rule, but they tend to be very special players.
 
Rickety Cricket said:
Whats going on with the boy we got from Millwall? Lovelace, thats it. I had high hopes for him but not heard anything after he got injured at the start of the season.
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Picked up another bad hamstring injury not long after coming back from that one.

There were rumours he was looking to leave at the end of the season when his contract is up. Not sure if this injury will change anything either way.
 
Davie Weir said:
Pretty long-term injured he had.

Haven’t heard much on his return.
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I thought he had been back for around 2 months now but not heard anything. How many games this season has our academy players played? You never hear of them now because we pulled out of the southern league. I wish we had the same set up as Holland. That's the only way things will improve.
 
strider said:
Picked up another bad hamstring injury not long after coming back from that one.

There were rumours he was looking to leave at the end of the season when his contract is up. Not sure if this injury will change anything either way.
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I don't blame him to be honest. He was starting matches for Millwall, he'd probably be a regular starter in the championship if he had stayed. Instead he's up here, away from his family, getting send to play with the academy.
 
Rickety Cricket said:
I don't blame him to be honest. He was starting matches for Millwall, he'd probably be a regular starter in the championship if he had stayed. Instead he's up here, away from his family, getting send to play with the academy.
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He played 20 minutes for Millwall and never started any games for them.
 
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