Glasgow's acquisition of three young players from the city's clubs is good news for those who like to see home-based talent getting a chance in the paid ranks.
But it also shows that players who haven't gone through the usual age-grade production line can still catch the eye of the pro teams.

Calum Forrester and Ruaridh Jackson have been associated with the club as apprentices, but GHA's John Welsh missed out.

Five years ago he was involved in the U18 Pathway squads, but didn't go farther than the Glasgow District side until Walter Malcolm, a former Glasgow player now on the club’s board, rang up Sean Lineen and said: “Look, I have this special player here.”

Sean saw him and agreed, telling The Times: “I was really impressed, he is a good player, something special. He has got stuck in, the players like him and he has a really good attitude. He has been with us for a few months now, working on his strength and fitness, as a prop he has a bright future.”

Sean is now looking to uncover more hidden talents lurking in the amateur game, appealing yesterday for club coaches to get in touch, and hinting that he is thinking of formalising the process later in the year.

“Players mature at different rates, but we tend to dismiss them if they have not come through by their early twenties,” he said. “We are a small country, though, and cannot afford to let them go. I think John Welsh would agree that he did not do himself any favours when he was 18 or 19, but all credit to him. He came through that, got stuck in and got himself fit.

“All over Scotland, there are good club players and we are looking and getting information about them. We can’t be everywhere but I have no problem with coaches from anywhere ringing me up and telling me about players they have with the talent to go to the next level. There will be gems all over the place

This article was posted on 5-May-2008, 17:18 by Hugh Barrow.