Latest news with #Cowdenbeath
Edinburgh Reporter
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Darren McGregor focused on European journey with Hibs youngsters
Hibs Under-18 Head Coach Darren McGregor believes that his squad of league champions have the potential to star for the First Team but he will remain focused on an exciting European journey while attempting to retain their league crown. The former Hibs centre-back oversaw an exceptional league campaign which included a 16-game unbeaten run to end the season. 'We're immensely proud,' McGregor told 'I'm obviously helped throughout the season by Boozy (Guillaume Beuzelin), Gareth (Evans), Big Scotty (Ross), all the backroom team, the sports scientists who keep people fit. 'To win any league, whether it's a youth or professional league, it takes consistency and diligence throughout the season. It takes looking after your body and doing all the things you need to do right, and I think the lads have done that. 'In football you're measured by what you win, whether that's right or wrong in academy football, but I think winning is developing the lads as well. I'm very conscious this is one step before the First Team, so getting them into good habits is basically my job. 'I'm just really proud of them for the start of the season to where they are now. Each individual, I think, in my eyes has definitely progressed and got better, so that's the main aim of the academy is to make players better and if I can get them winning games of football and winning leagues as well then that's even better.' Starting off at Cowdenbeath and playing junior football with Arniston Rangers before making his first topflight appearance with St Mirren aged 25, the 39-year-old is able to bring a different view to academy football when it comes to discipline, drive and consistency. 'All the lads are talented in their own right, that's why they're at Hibs, they're in a professional academy and a lot of them have been there for many years, so they have the talent, but obviously talent alone will get you so far. 'To actually walk through the (First Team) door and stay in there, you need a really good work ethic and you need to be consistent and you need to deal with adversity and you need to deal with obstacles in the right manner and overcome them. 'I've had quite a mixed career in terms of how I managed to get into professional football and it's a lot different for these lads, so I'm just trying to use my experiences, along with others, to help everybody else become the best versions of themselves. 'I can remember our last (UEFA Youth League appearance), in many ways we exceeded expectations in getting to the third round. I remember every game, it was such a great experience for the 2004 group. 'I think Dean (Cleland) and others were amongst the squad a couple of times, so a couple in the squad have had a tiny taste of it. It's such a great experience and it's tremendous to play in Europe at such a young age. The lads fully deserve it. It's going to be hard and a challenge, but we look forward to it. 'I believe we've got a really, really strong group. I think these lads can go up against anybody to be honest, so it will be a great experience and, obviously, if we can win and get through to the next rounds then even better.' McGregor is excited by the season ahead: 'As coaches you want to get the lads in, you want to come up with a programme to develop the players, because for a lot of them this will be what they've dreamt of since we came into the academy. 'We've got a good batch of new intakes, so that's in a sense a wee bit of a dream come true for a lot of these lads, so we just need to make sure that we instill the character traits that we think are required to become a professional football player. A lot of the players have got them, but we just need to polish them up and make them even better.' Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Live
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh man's 'stick in school' advice after 'crazy' American experience
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An Edinburgh lad who played in front of thousands as a successful college soccer and American football player is on a quest to offer the same experience to others in the capital. Tom Irving, originally from Clermiston but now based in South Gyle, was a talented youth football player. He tasted success with local clubs such as Hutchison Vale and Spartans but sadly was unable to make the cut when he got an opportunity at Cowdenbeath. When a career in football seemed like a distant dream, he believed he would settle down and get a job in a local bank after leaving high school. University had never crossed his mind but when friends of his began discussing US soccer scholarships, his ears perked up. After doing some research he applied to go with a scholarship agency run by David Binnie. Before he knew it, he was jetting off to the other side of the Atlantic where he became a student athlete, spending time at three different universities. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. 'I was an ok footballer, I had a decent youth career but to be honest I was not the best,' he said. 'I played in a good side at Hutchi but my pro youth move to Cowdenbeath sadly didn't work out. 'At high school I was not considering university. I never bothered applying as a senior as I was happy to leave school and get a role in a bank where I'd work my way up. 'So I did just that. I got a job at Lloyd's and I'd probably still be there now if I did not hear a couple of mates talking about going to the US on a soccer scholarship. 'I looked into a few agencies but David Binnie was really personal. I connected with him and felt like her cared. 'There were various meetings and trial days I had to go through before I ended up getting a few offers. I was not really thinking about the education side of college in the states, so I picked the best school from a football point of view. 'I went to the University of Maine at Fort Kent. It was great at first as they had some really reputable young players there, but after a year I realised the education was not what was best for me. 'I decided I wanted to do something to do with exercise science which was not on offer at the first college so I started to put out feelers elsewhere. I ended up at Point University in Georgia which was amazing, almost everyone was an athlete and I was able to study the course I wanted. 'It was a proper college experience with the stadiums but the weather was brutal, it was really hot. What I failed to realise was I'd have to complete a minor in biblical studies at the school and it would take me five years to graduate. 'I transferred again to Nebraska Midlands University and graduated within four and a half years. But what was amazing is I got onto the American football team as a kicker which was just a crazy experience, playing in front of thousands.' Tom said the experience was life changing and as a result, he has set up his own agency where he will look to get teenagers from Edinburgh and Scotland onto scholarships across the pond. The 32-year-old applied to new schools and navigated the scholarship system off his own back, and he argues this has put him in a great position to be able to guide others on their journey to playing soccer in the States. He was recently made redundant from his role as a project co-ordinator which motivated him to set up his own agency, College Scout USA. Tom has extensive experience in football scouting, having worked in Luxembourg, Malta and even domestically with Stranraer. His greatest achievement to date was working with Finnish club, SJK, who recently qualified for the European Conference League with the fifth youngest squad in the world. 'What I would say to anyone considering the move is that it is important to stick in at school,' he added. 'Academics could be the difference between your family being able to afford it or not as you can sometimes combine a sports and academic scholarship. 'There are different levels which can accommodate different abilities as well. You could have missed out on getting a youth contract in Scotland and look at top soccer colleges which play at a high level and can lead to offers from pro teams. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox 'But there are also more junior options for people with backgrounds similar to mine where you are a good player but you are not going to make it professionally. The level of education you can get over there is incredible and the sport facilities are so advanced. 'Obviously the portrayal of the college experience in movies and tv can be quite extreme but it is sort of what you can expect. It is a different experience to what you get back home. (Image: Jamie Lee Photography.) 'It definitely made me more open minded and it allowed me to learn about different cultures and grow as a person. It opened a lot of doors for me, building connections, and I am a different person to who I was before I made the move. 'There are a huge range of people who could benefit from a move over there.' Tom is open to speaking to anyone considering a future college application to play soccer, whether from Edinburgh or further afield. He added he will be involved on a personal level of every player he sends across there while utilising his extensive data focused scouting experience to provide the best agency experience possible. Tom can be contacted through his website here.
Daily Record
01-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Tranent hero Dean Brett swaps Benidorm for Broadwood as he chases Junior Cup glory
It's sod's law, but the 32-year-old former Cowdenbeath and Bonnyrigg Rose full back admits he wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world. Dean Brett should be on the final leg of a stag bender in Benidorm today. Instead the Tranent hero is hoping to kick off the mother of all booze-ups at Broadwood. Brett has had to pull out of his best mate's pre-wedding bash in Spain after his two goals in a 3-2 semi final win over Drumchapel helped his hometown club into the Junior Cup Final against Johnstone Burgh. It's sod's law. But the 32-year-old former Cowdenbeath and Bonnyrigg Rose full back admits he wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world. Not only is it the 90th anniversary of Tranent's only previous triumph in the competition, it also happens to be the East Lothian town's gala day. And it's all gearing up to be the most memorable occasion of Brett's career. He said: 'I was meant to be in Benidorm this weekend on a stag do. I just had to cancel that last week. 'My mate Mikey's getting married in September - I miss the wedding as well because I'm just flying home from my holiday that day. Maybe it's a sign. 'You can't really just say, it's only a game of football I'm not playing. 'I thought about going for the first two days then coming back for the final. 'I even scored two goals in the semi and we were out in the pub and I said to the committee: 'I've just scored two goals, surely that deserves a flight home on the Saturday?' 'But they just said, 'Dean you're on a stag do, it's not really good preparation!' 'It's hard to argue with that. They've been brilliant. The club paid for my cancellation. 'To be fair Mikey understands. His uncle has called off from Benidorm too because he's running buses through to the game. 'It's a massive day for the town. 'I'm from Tranent and everybody you pass, all the kids at the school when I'm on the school run, they're like, 'oh, we're going to watch you on Sunday' 'I do coaching as well so the kids have all asked for tickets. There's a real buzz about it now. It's a massive game. 'It's 90 years exactly since Tranent won the Junior Cup - 1935. 'Not just that but it's Tranent Gala Day too, I think all the local pubs are showing it live on telly. 'It maybe puts a dampener on the ticket's sold, but honestly it's a massive. 'If Tranent win the Junior Cup on the town's gala day then it'll be remembered for a long, long time so, aye, it is massive this week.' Brett has two league winners' medals with Cowdenbeath and was a play-off champion with Bonnyrigg three years ago. But he reckons a Junior Cup triumph with his hometown club would top the lot. He'll have a full row of Broadwood cheering him on with mum and dad Karen and Neil, partner Leanne and kids Arlo and Mia all heading to Cumbernauld. And he said: 'My mum's a nervous wreck. She's Tranent through and through. 'Dad's followed my career right from the start. Cowdenbeath games away to Peterhead and everything and every Bonnyrigg game. 'He's kind of stopped because he's getting older and loves spending time with my kids. But he'll be at Broadwood desperate for us to win. 'When I first broke through at Cowdenbeath we won League One under Colin Cameron. 'I always say that when you feel high, you feel high and it doesn't matter the occasion, you're going to feel high anyway. 'So if we win on Sunday - it's a big 'if' because Johnstone Burgh are a good team - but if there was success I think that would be my best moment. Just for coming to the end of the career, it's a massive cup, it's the 90 year anniversary of Tranent's only success in it and doing it for the town, for your mates, for your friends. 'It'd probably top it all off, to be honest with you.'
