A week after 13-year-old prodigy Karamoko Dembele created headlines world-wide when he made his under-20s bow for Celtic, Dundee have given a debut to a youngster just a year older.
Fourteen-year-old winger George Johnston played for 45 minutes in a narrow defeat to the Hoops at Montrose’s Links Park on Monday night, and was one of a batch of kids promoted from the Dens Park club’s under-17s for the match.
Also getting game-time were left-back Brian Rice (15), left-sided central midfielder Calum Moore (just turned 16), number 10 Max Anderson (recently 15) and striker Matthew Henvey (15).
All five did themselves justice according to Dundee’s head of youth development, Jimmy Boyle.
The former Airdrie manager told Courier Sport: “We had a few away on international duty and a few injuries and these boys had been doing well with the 17s so we decided to test them and ask them to give us what they’ve got.
“They did very well.
“We kept Celtic down to one goal and they had a strong team out.
“It was a great experience for them and will give them a taste of the next level and something to strive for.
“The other boys in the 17s will also think that’s something they want to aim for.
“We’ve got a few of the younger ones with us this week because the schools are off. Gary Ogilvie is working really well with the 17s. There are some good kids here.
“They’ve got a lot of hard work ahead of them but we’re hopeful.”
The youngster of the group was 14-year-old Johnston, and Boyle insisted that the publicity surrounding Celtic’s Dembele didn’t make him have second thoughts about putting Johnston in with boys several years his senior.
“Sometimes age is only a number,” he said. “We do our own thing at Dundee. Celtic will do what is best for them.
“We thought it was the right thing to do. George acquitted himself well. He wasn’t afraid to get on the ball and he kept it well.
“You maybe get a wee bit more leeway out on the wing when you’re playing with older boys than you would at centre-back, for example.
“He’s got good qualities. He’s an out-and-out winger who hugs the touchline.”
