Do Hibernian have a new crop of youngsters coming through?

YES....

Coach James McDonaugh remains very upbeat about the coming season, whilst at the same time admitting it would be almost impossible to top the achievements of 2008/09: “I don’t know how you’d be able to top last season – you’d need to be able to go unbeaten the whole year,.” the coach said. Repeating the success, however, was never going to be a priority this season: “I said last season – even before we’d won anything – that it is about developing players, and I stand by that. Even though we won what we did - which was fantastic and that breeds winners - it is about developing players. This year is not about topping last season, it’s about getting players to the next level and to the standard the manager wants.”

The Hibernian Youth System has been the catalyst in producing the majority of today’s first team squad members. In recent years the system has produced players such as Scott Brown and Garry O’Connor who have represented Scotland at full International level.

At present, over 5,000 children from throughout the central belt of Scotland, spanning from the Borders up to Fife and from the East to the West coast, benefit from the expertise of the Hibernian professional football coaching staff.

The development programme operates 6 satellite centres throughout the Central belt. This provides grassroots and community coaching which feeds directly into a performance and excellence-coaching scheme with approximately 5,000 annual attendances. Players are supported and developed to become elite footballers within their age groupings, from Under 11’s to Under 19’s.

The system produces 8 pro-elite squads per season, from age range 11-19 (At age group 19 there is a dual banding of Under 18 and 19 players). Teams are selected from our satellite coaching sessions and play in the Scottish Premier League Youth Development Programme

Players who progress from the satellite sessions are introduced on a full time basis at age 16, and sign a professional football contract. The potential first team squad member is signed as an Under 19 player with the potential to also play in the Under 21 squad.

The Hibernian Youth System implements a policy of further education and all squad members undertake various courses of their choosing at Edinburgh’s colleges and universities. The implementation of the courses enables squad members to gain a higher education award.

A number of players that are involved within today’s youth system represent their national teams at Under 19 level and beyond.

Now that is a description of a selling club. lol

Son of Hiram

Well, YOU know how they like their young boys...