Threave Rovers boss wants to strengthen links with youths

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Threave Rovers boss Vinnie Parker is aiming to strengthen links with the club’s youth development arm. The Meadow Park gaffer is keen to bring through more talent from Castle Douglas and the surrounding area and give them a chance to shine in the West of Scotland League.

He said: “Our connection with the youths is improving all the time, although I’d like to work a lot more on that. “The work that goes on with the youths is remarkable.

They’ve got a lot of really good coaches and a lot of committed boys. “They’re always mindful of trying to bridge the gap from under-17s, who have nowhere in the area to go, which I always thought was a problem. “They put out a Sunday amateur team and are sending boys to us on a Monday and I think there’s also talk at looking at the Lowland League’s under-20s.

They’re always looking at ideas and I really appreciate that. “Everybody likes seeing local kids playing for local teams. We have Alex Henderson, who is a remarkable footballer and a Castle Douglas boy. “You only have to come to the game on a Saturday to hear people on the sidelines who support him and love him doing well. “If we can get the best of local talent coming through it’s only going to further the connection with the town and maybe get a few more people through the gate.” Threave swapped the South of Scotland League to the fourth tier of the West of Scotland – a drop of four steps in the Scottish football pyramid.