Campbell's on the money in youth development

by Roy Templeton

As a member of the last homegrown Scottish Cup winning team - way back in 1987 when St Mirren edged out Dundee United after extra time - Campbell Money has a special interest in helping produce and retain more Highland soccer stars.

The Paisley team had a raft of youngsters such as Paul Lambert, David Winnie, goal scorer Ian Ferguson, Frank McGarvey and Tony Fitzpatrick in their ranks that day in May at Hampden. Dundee United also boasted an all-Scottish team that included the likes of David Narey, Maurice Malpas, Eamonn Bannon and Paul Sturrock.

Developing more Scottish youngsters is now a particularly hot topic post-Covid as every club here tries to grapple with rising costs and budget constraints just like the rest of country.

A recent arrival from the SFA where he spent more than 10 years as Club Academy Manager, Money will now add his skills to help expand and develop County's already well respected youth operation and women's first team.

In his new role as Football Development Director he hopes to help County attract and retain their own homegrown soccer talent - with the ultimate aim of bringing more of them into the first team squad.

At 64, he admits it's probably his last big job in football - and it's one he's desperate to succeed in.

"The biggest thing we can give youngsters throughout the Highlands is an opportunity to succeed.

"We're brutally honest," he confessed, "when we speak to parents and outline just how hard it is for their kids to make it as a professional footballer. Football is an incredibly tough business and the likelihood is that most youngsters won't make it.

"But we all believe here at County that we can increase the chances of them doing so by providing great coaching and great life skills - and most importantly, if they don't make it, they leave here on good terms as better players and better human beings."

Ensuring every youngster who comes through County's ever burgeoning Academy set-up enjoys their experience is the top priority for Money and the long-standing team of both volunteers and staff who look after all the youth teams. No little task when you consider there are now seven youth teams for males and more than 200 females signed up for their youth and women's team.

"It's astonishing the numbers we have here already with youngsters right across the Highlands training two or three nights a week and then playing in matches.

"But what we'd like to do in future is get more of them making the jump from youth to first team so that the club really reaps the benefit of what is a huge asset to the local community." said the affable former stopper..

Back in the late 70s, Money signed for St Mirren after just one last-minute call-up for a reserve game that he played in after completing his shift as a police cadet in Ayr.

Then, most youngsters were signed on "S" (Schoolboy) Forms to the senior clubs from their boys clubs, with the now nationwide Academy structure only being introduced around 20 years ago.

Maybole born and bred Money played weekly as a teenager for Ayrshire youth teams Carrick Colts and Dailly Amateurs before he was signed in 1978 by then St Mirren manager Alex Ferguson (whatever happened to him?).

He joined five other keepers at the club, played a couple of first team matches initially , but then had to wait almost five years for regular first team action after Billly Thomson left for Dundee United.

Eventually he stayed at Love Street for 18 years playing under a succession of managers including Jim Clunie, Alex Miller, Alex Smith and Davie Hay, with the highlight that Hampden Park cup win in 1987.

The legendary Frank McAvennie, he reckons, was the most gifted player amongst his teammates, while Celtic, Arsenal and Aberdeen internationalist Charlie Nicholas - "a fantastic talent" - was the best opponent he crossed swords with.

After hanging up his goalkeeper gloves he had a number of coaching and manager roles, including three great years at Stranraer.

Eventually the SFA came calling and he has spent the last decade or so helping to shape and develop the country's nationwide youth team set-up.

"I loved my job with the SFA but this is a fantastic opportunity that I felt I had to take on when Steven Ferguson explained it to me," said Money.

Five years ago, he revealed, he very nearly joined County, but felt that at the time he had to stay closer to his young family.

Now, seven weeks into his new job, he's positively bouncing at getting back into a club set-up - and wants to succeed.

"County are a really friendly well-organised club, with lots of good people doing fantastic jobs here already. They've made me incredibly welcome and I'd really like to repay the faith they've put in me by building up our youth teams even more, and ultimately, getting more of those youngsters into the first team squad," he concluded.