Football:Scotland’s finest take on Jersey tonight

Football:Scotland’s finest take on Jersey tonight

And a feast of football should be served up as the JFA team have had excellent coaching in recent years while the Scots include many players currently on Youth Academy scholarships with Scotland’s leading clubs.

Unfortunately a trio of Celtic players are unavailable for this week’s visit, the same two large squads playing tonight at Springfield and again on Thursday evening.

New Jersey U18 manager Dave Walsh said: ‘It’s pre-season for us and a good chance to assess the fitness levels of our players.

Scotland will provide a stern test I’m sure and they will be much stronger than the Northern Ireland lads who we played last season, as Irish lads came from Schools’ teams and not pro clubs like the Scottish lads will do.

‘I’m looking forward to the games and hopefully a couple of good performances.

Our top age players should do a good job while it’s an excellent opportunity to see the younger players perform against players who in a few years’ time could go on to become full-time professionals.’ Scotland U17s, who were all born in 1989, are preparing for their age group European Championship in a couple of months’ time so they will be eager to impress their manager and coaches to secure their places in the Scotland squad.

Scotland play in Hungary in October, their round-robin group matches being against Hungary, Cyprus and Macedonia.

Sporting Eventualities have organised this week’s games with the finance largely supplied by the Jersey Football Association, who are celebrating their Centenary this year.

Kick-off tonight and on Thursday is at 7.30 pm.

Jersey squad: Jack Jouanny, Greg Forster, Joel Speight, Danny Hughes, Neal Crowell, Tom Poole, Sam Dewhurst, Stephen Purdie, Casey Laurant, Ben Gallichan, Aaron Maynard, David Syvret, Jamie Allan, Tony Maguire, Sean Dorans, Eliott Fernandes, Steven Reid, Jamie Cullen, Jack McKenna, James Quinn, Craig Russell, Adam Speight, Ryan Le Cornu, Jamie Savory and Jonny Lee.

Scotland U17s: Greg Paterson (Dunfermline), Cameron Murray (Motherwell), Ross Hamilton (Hearts), Michael Donald (Rangers), Jamie Laird (captain, Plymouth Argyle), William McLachlan (Rangers), James Henry (Reading), Andrew Shinnie (Rangers), David Goodwillie (Dundee United), Chris Maguire (Aberdeen), Steven Kinniburgh (Rangers), Alan Martin (Motherwell), Scott Hadden (Rangers), Kevin Kerr (DFC Arminia Bielefeld), Ryan O’Hara (Dundee United), William Russell (Dundee United), Ross Forbes (Motherwell), Jamie Murphy (Motherwell).

First Tower United have allowed Scotland to use their training facilities this week.

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