Scotland’s Under-21 side stand just two games away from the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Finals that will be played in Denmark in June of next year and they begin their quest to secure their place next Thursday. Billy Stark’s side will take on Iceland in Reykjavík in the first of their Play-Off two legged matches next week before returning to Hibernian’s Easter Road Stadium for the second leg on Monday, 11th October with a 7.45 p.m. kick off.
The Scotland Coach has named a 23 strong pool for the vital games and, as well as having players from the SPL and the likes of Liverpool and Aston Villa, Stark has a squad where more than half of the players selected have or are curently involved at SFL clubs.
Two of the players are Falkirk goalkeeper Jamie Barclay and defender Thomas Scobbie, and the Bairns were delighted to talk about the tie that stands between the Scots and qualification for the Finals for the first time since 1996.
Barclay said, “I have been involved with the Under-21s ever since this campaign began all the way back to when I was on loan for the first time at East Stirling.
“It has been a really good experience for me and I really enjoy the time we spend with the national side.”
The shot-stopper is learning from a legend and he continued, “During the qualification campaign, we go away for a week to ten days at a time and we work really hard under the direction of Jim Leighton.
“I have learnt a lot from him and it has helped me when I have played in warm up games although I am still itching to get involved in competitive action. Alan Martin is playing well just now and I cannot complain about not playing as much as I would have liked.”
Barclay was only 18-years-old when he was thrown into SFL action as Falkirk loaned him to near neighbours East Stirlingshire to help with the initial phases of their Third Division campaign in August 2008.
The ’keeper said, “It was a lot of responsibility to take on at quite a young age but that spell really brought my development on. It really toughened me up and when that ended at Christmas time, I went back to Falkirk before having another loan spell at Berwick Rangers.”
At the start of last season, Barclay went back to the Shire for a season long loan and he was a big factor in Jim McInally’s side securing third place in the table and a Play-Off spot although the summer was to begin with a double disappointment.
He explained, “It was a very successful season and we were in the top four virtually all season.
“It was really disappointing as there was not much between East Stirling and Forfar all season. It was then a blow to see Falkirk relegated as well.”
The goalie and the Bairns have bounced back with Barclay saying, “I am really enjoying life in the First Division and I have been on the bench for our games. You can notice the difference in standard as I have moved up a couple of divisions but it is a really exciting time at Falkirk just now.”
One of the games that Barclay watched from the substitutes bench was The Co-operative Insurance Cup Third Round tie against Heart of Midlothian that Steven Pressley’s side won 4-3 at The Falkirk Stadium.
It was a great place to be viewing from with Barclay saying, “The Hearts game was a superb one and any neutral at the game would have thought it was one of the best football games to be played in Scotland recently.”
Despite the dropping down of a division, Stark has stuck with Barclay and team-mates Thomas Scobbie and on-loan Celtic player Jason Marr and that has been a real boost to the Bairns.
Barclay explained, “It is great that Billy is just not looking at SPL players and he has stuck with us. You get a real boost knowing that good performances in the SFL can still get you recognition at international level.”
As for Iceland, Barclay reckons it is a step into the unknown for most of the squad as he explained, “I do not know too much about them but they must be decent to come out ahead of Germany in their qualification group.
“A couple of the boys have played them at Under-19 level and reckoned they had good players then.”
One of the players that faced Iceland at Under-19 level was Barclay’s team-mate, Thomas Scobbie, and he reckons the Scots will have to be at their best to progress.
Scobbie said, “Iceland are scoring a lot of goals and conceding few. Any team that can beat Germany 4-1 must be good so it is a hard draw for us.”
Defender Scobbie was on the park for most of Scotland’s successful qualification campaign saying, “I played in eight of the ten games in the qualification group missing out only against Belarus and Azerbaijan.
“It is always great to play for your country and hopefully, I can carry on with that all the way to the Finals next summer.”
Scobbie was on the pitch as Aberdeen youngster Chris Maguire hit the injury time winner against Austria at Pittodrie to secure top spot for Scotland and it is not a moment he will forget in a hurry.
He explained, “It was 1-1 and Austria had just missed a great chance when Chris got the ball about 25 yards out. We play with the Jabulaniball and Chris had the confidence to strike for goal from there. The ball flew in and we won and the changing room after that game was really buzzing.”
The now 22-year-old is another player happy with Stark’s policy of sticking with players he knows regardless of which league or division their club is in saying, “After dropping out of the SPL, it was on my mind that being in the First Division could affect my place but Billy has stuck with us.”
“His approach has been that if we keep playing well and keep showing the right attitude, he will pick us which may have been difficult for some coaches but not for Billy.”
Life in the First Division has been anything but easy for Scobbie and his side as he explained, “It has been really competitive so far and I believe we have made some good strides forward but of course, we are disappointed with the results against Dunfermline, Dundee and Raith Rovers.
“The First Division is extremely competitive and hopefully, we can kick on and put a run of results together starting at home to Cowdenbeath.”
Once the match against the Blue Brazil has been played, Iceland will be the only focus for Scobbie and he is hoping that the Tartan Army turn up to support the Scots at Easter Road next Monday.
He said, “It is up to us to get a good result in Iceland but I would like to think there will be a full house at Easter Road.
“Billy Stark and the guys at the SFA worked hard to get the game moved to the Monday evening to avoid a clash with the senior squad’s game with Spain and it would be great if the new stand at the Hibs ground is rocking for this game.”
The Falkirk born player has a simple way of summing up success this season by saying, “I would love to be going to the Under-21 Finals next summer as a SPL player with Falkirk.”
The full squad and their involvement at SFL clubs is as follows:-
GOALKEEPERS
- Jamie Barclay (Falkirk - East Stirlingshire on loan)
- Scott Gallacher (Rangers - loan spells at Forfar Athletic and Cowdenbeath)
- Alan Martin (Leeds United on loan to Barrow – Queen’s Park Youth)
DEFENDERS
- Paul Caddis (Swindon Town)
- Paul Hanlon (Hibernian on loan to St Johnstone during SFL 1 season)
- Jason Marr (Celtic currently on loan to Falkirk)
- Ross Perry (Rangers)
- Steven Saunders (Motherwell - Queen’s Park Youth)
- Thomas Scobbie (Falkirk)
- Daniel Wilson (Liverpool)
MIDFIELDERS
- Scott Arfield (Huddersfield Town - Falkirk)
- Barry Bannan (Aston Villa)
- Paul Coutts (Preston North End)
- Murray Davidson (St. Johnstone - Livingston)
- Stephen McGinn (Watford)
- Andrew Shinnie (Rangers - Dundee on loan)
- David Wotherspoon (Hibernian)
FORWARDS
- James Forrest (Celtic)
- David Goodwillie (Dundee United – Raith Rovers on loan)
- Leigh Griffiths (Dundee – Livingston)
- Chris Maguire (Aberdeen)
- Jamie Murphy (Motherwell)
- David Templeton (Heart of Midlothian - Stenhousemuir)
In addition to the squad for this game, Stark has also used Rory Loy (loan at Dunfermline Athletic), Marc McAusland (Queen of the South), Chris Mitchell (Falkirk and on loan to Ayr United), Kevin McDonald (Dundee) and Ross Forbes (loan to Dumbarton) who have all been involved in Scotland’s qualifying campaign.
If you would like to support Barclay and Scobbie, the match details are as follows :-
UEFA Under-21 Championship Play-Off (second leg)
Scotland v Iceland – Monday, 11th October, 2010 at Easter Road Stadium, Edinburgh. Kick off 7.45pm.
Tickets are available priced at £5 for adults and £2 for children in the Family Section of the Famous Five Stand and for £8 and £2 in the New East Stand. They are available in person from the Hibernian Ticket Office or during office hours on 0844 844 1875 (option 2) between Saturday 2nd October and Saturday 9th October.
A cash gate will be open on the night with entry set at £8 for adults and £2 for children.
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