First day for new recruits

from left to right: Calvin Ramsay, Michael Dangana, Tom Ritchie, Kevin Hanratty, Lyall Booth

 

There are five players today who will be following in the footsteps of Scott McKenna, Dean Campbell, Connor McLennan and Ethan Ross by moving up from the AFC Youth Academy to the full time ranks at Pittodrie.

Player Name	D.O.B	School	Position
Calvin Ramsay	31/07/2003	Hazlehead Academy	Right Back / Midfield
Kevin Hanratty	15/03/2003	Hazlehead Academy	Attacking Midfield / Forward
Lyall Booth	05/03/2003	Ellon Academy	Left Back / Left Wing
Michael Dangana	29/04/2003	Hazlehead Academy	Forward
Tom Ritchie	27/01/2003	Elgin Academy	Goalkeeper

 

The Head of Youth Academy

To get the inside track on the new recruits we spoke to Neil Simpson, Head of Youth Academy.

“We have a really good crop of young players coming in this year who have a real opportunity to make a mark.

“They have all had opportunities last season to be in and around the club which has been great.

“All our new graduates who are coming in full time have had a number of games in the U18s this year. The transition from U16 to U18 has narrowed because of the opportunities that they have already had through playing with the Development Squad.

“That is the way Aberdeen as a club work. We try and push boys on as much as we can. If players have got the talent, then we move them up as quickly as we can.

“All these players have certainly got talent.

“Three of the boys are from the SFA Performance School at Hazlehead Academy. It shows you that the Performance Schools are working as there is a conveyer belt of boys coming through and they are then getting the chance with their local professional club.

“My advice to them is get your head down and work hard.

“Every day want to improve.

“Go and speak to the coaches and ask for help with any weaknesses. Go to the sports scientists and ask how can they get that little bit physically stronger. Go to the video analyst team and ask to see their clips from games and training. Every day try and be better and better.

“Yes they will get coaching and help from these people, but it is up to them as well. It is their responsibility to take the extra steps needed so they are pushing themselves every day. How they do is down to them as well as the club and the staff. It is a three-way thing. If they do that then they will have a great opportunity at Aberdeen Football Club.

“They are one pitch away from the first team. They are part of the development squad and the manager on a regular basis asks boys to come over and train with the first team. The sky is the limit.”

The New Recruits

“Calvin Ramsay has been in the system since he was eight or nine years of age.

“He has always had a great attitude and enthusiasm.

He would do his three or four days training and then in his days off you would see him doing extra running so he was really really fit.

“Calvin has a great engine as well as technical ability.

He is a player who is adaptable.

He can equally play in defence or midfield. He has been a regular in the Scotland international set up.”

“Kevin Hanratty is unpredictable in terms of his style because he has so many techniques that he can use.

“He can play in a number of different positions, he can play upfront, in the wider areas or he can play in midfield.

“He is big strong and athletic. Great technical ability and is another who has been part of the Scotland set up.

“A player who is very highly thought of and regularly attracted a number of scouts so we are delighted he will further his progress with Aberdeen.”

“Lyall Booth is another who is very athletic and quick.

“Naturally left footed, he over the last couple of years has been playing left back so he can see the game in front of him and it has still allowed him to get forward.

“He has the ability though to also be a left sided midfielder, winger or winger back – anywhere up the left side he is more than capable.

“Another who is very athletic and has a great engine as well as a really good left foot.

“Lyall was part of the Scotland U16 Victory Shield squad.”

“Michael Dangana is one who really benefited from getting the chance to play up a level because he was excellent for the U18s last season.

“A powerful striker, and although he was only 16, he still managed to lead the line really well.

“That opportunity has allowed Barry Robson and Scott Anderson to see him first hand.

“What an asset he could be. Obviously the brother of David as well.”

“Tom Ritchie’s handling, shot stopping and distribution is first class. His left and right foot are equally as good – something that is so important for a goalkeeper nowadays.

“Tom has also really improved his weaker side. Another Scotland international, he played in the Victory Shield and really impressed in the games that he played.

“Has been training with the full-time goalkeepers when he has been off school and Gordon Marshall has really liked him.

“Tom is from Elgin so has had a lot of travelling to do over the last four or five years to get to this point.

“It shows you his commitment to the club and it is a testament to him and his family. A great attitude.”

The Coach

Development coach Paul Sheerin is thoroughly looking forward to working with his new additions.

“All the boys have been in and around the Development squad already.

“It is a process that we have got used to. I think back to the photo of Scott McKenna and Ethan Ross when they played together in a Development game. Ethan at the time was an U16 player.

“As the season develops, we try and get them up and involved, the ones that we feel are going to be around, or certainly have a good opportunity of coming in full time so we can have a closer look at them. Some of the boys even got some minutes playing for the reserves.

“The five have earned their opportunity to come in full time for different reasons.

“They are different types of players obviously. I am looking forward to working with the five of them. Certainly they are prospects at this early stage, but we are very excited by them.

“We of course have high hopes for all our players, unfortunately they can’t all make it. That is just the nature of the game. At this stage it is pure potential but you hope that between us, the coaching staff at Pittodrie, that we can developing them and get them into the first team environment.”

 

All the very best to Calvin, Michael, Tom, Kevin, and Lyall with their Aberdeen careers.