EARLIER this week five young Scotland stars were thrust into a senior team training session and told: show Steve Clarke what you can do.
But they were reminded just how tough the journey to the top can be days later, as they suffered late heartache in a Euros qualifier at their own age level.
Five Scotland Under-17 stars were called up to train with the first team this week[/caption]
They rubbed shoulders with several top players on Monday[/caption]
But later in the week they had business at their own age group to take care of[/caption]
Aberdeen forward Fletcher Boyd (17), Ayr United playmaker Jamie Hislop (16), Hearts midfielder Alfie Osborne (16), Liverpool defender Cameron Williams (16) and Rangers midfielder Aiden McCallion (16) were called up from the Under-17s to train with the Scotland first team squad on Monday.
Boyd has made one appearance in the Premiership this season for the Aberdeen first team, while Hislop has played four times for the Honest Men’s senior side under Scott Brown.
Left-back Williams was signed by Liverpool as a nine-year-old whilst Anfield legend Steven Gerrard was managing the club’s Under-18s.
Osborne and McCallion have both primarly featured for their club’s development sides this season.
Boss Clarke needed additional bodies as he waited for some of his regular players to join the camp.
The likes of Andy Robertson, Scott McTominay and Lewis Ferguson were afforded an extra day to recuperate after being involved in matches at club level on Sunday.
But Tartan Army heroes such as John McGinn, Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean were present as Clarke and assistant Jon Carver put them the group through their paces ahead of this week’s Nations League play-off tie against Greece.
Scotland take on Greece in Athens tomorrow night before returning to Hampden for the second leg on Sunday.
A lot of focus and praise has been on Motherwell starlet Lennon Miller and young Hearts striker James Wilson, who could make their debuts after being included in a senior squad for the first time.
We cast an eye towards 2026 and how the team could look if Clarke’s men make it to the World Cup.
And beyond that, the lucky quintet who were invited to train with the first team could be making their case for inclusion.
But there’s a long way to go before that, as today’s Under-17 European Championship qualifier proved.
The young Scots opened their qualifying campaign against North Macedonia.
Head coach Brian McLaughlin named all five of those who trained with the first team in his starting XI for the match which took place at Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld, with Osborne captaining the side.
McCallion, Osborne and Hislop with George Hirst and Tommy Conway[/caption]
North Macedonia took a surprise lead just before half-time but seven minutes after the restart, young Dons ace Boyd was in the right place at the right time to tap home an equaliser.
Boyd showed a true striker’s instinct to pounce on a loose ball inside the visitors’ box.
He sent in the initial cross and followed the ball in and was able to pounce when the goalkeeper blocked an effort from Hislop.
It was his fourth goal from five games with the Under-17s, having scored against Qatar, Northern Ireland and Lithuania last year.
#SCO17s | Fletcher Boyd pokes it home to level the score 🙌
📺 Watch live here: https://t.co/Gpn7mYFADQ
Scotland 1-1 North Macedonia.#YoungTeam pic.twitter.com/eOhJRAbQ6r
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) March 19, 2025
Boyd then turned provider in the 79th minute as Scotland took the lead.
St Mirren youngster Jack Barr picked out Rangers starlet Alexander Smith, who found Boyd inside the box.
His shot was blocked but he was alert to nudge the ball to Hearts youth ace Taylor Hogarth.
However, North Macedonia refused to give in and with only seven minutes left of the regulation 90, they got their reward.
Confusion inside the Scotland penalty box allowed Lorent Zhaku to capitalise and fire the ball beyond young Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Alastair Graham, who moved to the City Ground from Dundee last month.
Scotland pushed to try and regain the lead in the final stages and there were late claims for a penalty when Boyd went down near the penalty spot, but the referee was unmoved.
North Macedonia seemed content with a point and in the end that’s what they settled for.
Scotland and North Macedonia are in a four-team group with Romania and Liechtenstein.
The other two nations also played this week, with Romania winning 10-0.
Romania will host the young Scots on Saturday before they go on their travels again for the final game against Liechtenstein the following Tuesday.
Given Romania’s resounding beating of Liechtenstein, Scotland will have to pick up three points on Saturday to have any serious hopes of progressing.
North Macedonia will be expected to win against Liectenstein and then it will come down to how many Scotland can beat them by when they meet on Tuesday, Romania travelling to North Macedonia on the same day.
#SCO17s | Taylor Hogarth tucks it away nicely to give us the lead 👌
📺 Watch live here: https://t.co/Gpn7mYFADQ
Scotland 2-1 North Macedonia.#YoungTeam pic.twitter.com/QQPX9Fcv8t
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) March 19, 2025
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