The Aberdeen U18s have made a 100% start to their campaign with seven league wins and they are through to the next round of the SFA Youth Cup. Their success was recognised when the AFC Youth Academy enjoyed a quartet of call-ups to Scotland Under 17s with Calvin Ramsay, Tom Ritchie, Kevin Hanratty and Ryan Duncan from the U16s all named in the national squad. They helped the Under-17s secure Elite Round qualification.

Calvin has impressed since coming in full-time in the summer. He has a great engine as well as technical ability and can equally play in defence or midfield. He has been a regular in the Scotland international set up and was named on the bench for the opening league game of the season against Hearts.

“That was three days after my 16th birthday so it was a very nice late present! It gave me a taste of it and it was great experience. It gives you the motivation to go away and work hard so you can get back there.

“Before the game, it was different because all the players come in wearing their suits! Then beforehand, the manager came in and gave his team talk. That was a great experience, being part of that. I was very grateful to get the chance to be there and it makes you all the more eager to have more of it.

“You have to train well and play well.

“Things are going well in the Under 18s, so that helps. Five wins out of five is a good start to the season and hopefully we can keep it going. I’ve also played for the reserves, which is a step up in terms of the tempo from U18s. The ball gets moved quicker and you are playing against better quality players. I feel I have adjusted and coped quite well.

“It does help you appreciate the level you need to get to. It helps playing against a winger who is maybe in his 30s and has had a career in the game, instead of playing against a 16 year old. It gives me important experience.

“I also think it is important to have a fresh challenge.

“Playing against the same players from other teams from U12 level to U18s can become a bit stale. Playing in the reserve games, and particularly the ones against Huddersfield and Brentford, it’s a big step up but if you can handle it, it’s obviously going to help you in your later career. My aim is to get into the first team and make my debut as young as possible and then see how far I can go in the game.

“I am trying to take on board everything I am getting told from the coaches and all the players. When you are working with people like Paul Sheerin and Barry Robson every day, they have played the game, they know the game, so the advice you get, you have to listen to what they have to say.

“I’ve been involved with the club for about seven years. My first boys’ club was Cove. I started off there when I was about eight. I only played for them for six months or so, then Aberdeen came along. They saw me playing and I must have done well because they took me on trial and I’ve been involved ever since.

“I went to Lauriston Primary School and spent about two years there. I them moved to Bridge of Don and went to Braehead. After that, I went to the SFA performance school at Hazlehead. I was there for four years before signing my professional contract at Aberdeen.

“My first coach at Pittodrie was Steven Sweeney. He helped me a lot by giving me a lot of good advice. I still see Steven in and around Pittodrie, as he is now running the Aberdeen Community Trust.

“The Performance School is very different to a normal Academy education because we are training at least two hours a day. You still have to get an education under your belt though and I did PE, English and History. We also have to go to college now we are full-time.”

As well as getting a wider education, Calvin is furthering his footballing education by playing across a number of positions at present.

“I’ve played in a number of different positions and I think being versatile is a positive. Although I predominantly play at right-back, if there is a need for someone to go and play in midfield, I’m comfortable doing that because I have done it before. I played there for four years before I got moved. I can also play on the right wing, so that gives me some options.”