After more than seven years of serving talented kids from across the region and beyond, the Fife Elite Football Academy [FEFA] formally ceases operations today.
Since its inception in 2014, the talent factory has brought through the likes of Fulham and Scotland under-21 international Kieron Bowie, Hibs-bound Dylan Tait and Dunfermline striker Lewis McCann.
Indeed, FEFA’s outgoing head of academy Bill Hendry is dreaming of the day he witnesses one of their graduates walk out at Wembley.
“I still keep in touch with some of the boys on occasion and I’ve said to them: ‘Just remember me when you are giving out your FA Cup Final tickets’,” he laughed.
However, Hendry is adamant crafting good people was always just as important as creating fine footballers.
“You can only look upon FEFA as a success,” Hendry told Courier Sport.
“Looking at last weekend, we had three starting at Dunfermline, three on the bench for Raith Rovers. Dylan Tait is moving on to Hibs. Liam Campbell was in goals for East Fife and Liam Newton started.
“Stuart Morrison at Edinburgh City; Callum Smith at Airdrie — there are a fair whack of weans out there!
“It has served its purpose and given young people a platform. These boys might not all be playing in the Premiership but they are doing themselves proud and enjoying careers in the SPFL.”
Education
Hendry, who oversaw a link-up with Fife College which allowed youth players to gain qualifications to accompany their footballing educations, added: “I used to be a teacher and I would despair sometimes.
“I’d be watching a 14-year-old swinging on the back of his chair at the back of the class: ‘Stick your English, sir, I’ve got an ’S’ Form [schoolboy contract] with one of the Old Firm!’
“You’d try to encourage them to stick on and get the qualifications because I’ve seen it so often; kids destined for stardom don’t make it, for various reasons.
“So, you always want to enrich your academy players with knowledge and other skills. It’s about more than football.”
Scott Brown lesson
As revealed by Courier Sport, Hendry will serve as head of academy at Dunfermline when their new youth system begins in 2022, having occupied the same position at Hibs between 2007 and 2014.
He will take a cast-iron belief that elite talent can be developed in Fife into that role — and reckons a former Scotland and Celtic skipper proves it.
“You can’t tell me all the talented players in Scotland live in Glasgow or Edinburgh,” added Hendry.
“Before he signed ‘S’ Forms for Hibs, I’d put on training sessions in Fife for Scott Brown so that he didn’t have to travel to Edinburgh.
“I’d bus in lads from Lanarkshire to make up the numbers, because we wanted to give him that platform!
“You could see the talent — and that talent is still there in Fife.”
