The head of St Johnstone’s youth academy touched on the U18s’ strong comradeship ahead of tonight’s semi-final.
Alistair Stevenson, no stranger to a success story from his days in Perth, says this is a group of young footballers who never know when they are defeated.
Saints’ talented crop of rising stars have been putting in the hard work this week ahead of going for glory against Celtic in the Scottish Youth Cup last four on the main pitch at McDiarmid Park.
“It has been a great build-up for them,” Stevenson told the Perthshire Advertiser on Tuesday. “They are so focused, so keen.
“They went through to Dundee last Friday night with the cup game in the back of their minds. But they put in such terrific effort and were dedicated to get through it without losing.
“They came back at the end and scored a winner in the last minute so that was them on a high, if they weren’t already.
“They came through it with no injuries and now everyone is looking forward to Friday night.”
Stevenson continued: “The experience is something they won’t forget and I think we will get a good turnout from the supporters. It will be a good game.
“Celtic obviously have an experienced team and one that has European experience too. But our boys are difficult to play against. They have a terrific sense of comradeship.
“They play for each other. They don’t give up. They just don’t give up.”
Between the posts will likely be Perth’s Kyle Thomson who, only last week, was away with Scotland’s U16 squad at a development tournament in Cyprus.
“There were three goalkeepers away with the squad and three games,” said Stevenson.
"He didn’t get the first game or the second but we had in our minds that he would get the third. We were relieved when he played against Cyprus, which finished one-each and he got the whole game.
"Kyle was absolutely delighted to have played and got his cap. Nobody can take that away from him. It was a registered game and a proper development competition.”
