McGregor Praises Young Leaders After Berwick Win

Darren McGregor was "extremely pleased" to see his youthful Development Squad team secure a 3-2 pre-season victory over Berwick Rangers.

The youngsters battled hard in all the elements to walk away from Shielfield Park with a solid win against Lowland League opposition. 

Much like Tuesday night's performance against Haddington Athletic, McGregor's team - largely made up players across the U16 to U19 age groups - put in a strong physical showing again a brawny senior squad. 

"I'm very pleased, extremely pleased to be honest, off the back of the Haddington game," McGregor said after the match.

"We gave a debut to young Oli Waldman as a right-sided centre-back and then we bring on another 2010s player, Kevin Thompson's boy, Jackson, who done absolutely fabulous.

"Wee Jacko scored a goal and impacted the game in a positive manner, I think that's all you can ask for. These younger lads here, an average age of about 16, they're playing against men, so that's great."

Berwick Rangers may have struggled during the 2024/25 season, finishing 16th in the Lowland League - but there is no denying some of the quality in their squad. 

Former Partick Thistle and Livingston forward Liam Buchanan, a veteran of the Scottish game, was keen on giving our young defenders a lesson in staying alert and putting up a physical fight in defence. 

"I said that to them, he'll have all the dark arts under his arm," McGregor said of Buchanan. "He knows when to push you, when to come off you, when to put pressure on you, so for a guy like Lewis McNeill, who's Under-17, he would have learned so much from that.

"Even at half-time he gets bumped when the ball goes in behind, and I'm just giving him a wee bit of information as to how to deal with that the next time. Hopefully he learns from that, and then obviously the next time that happens he'll be able to deal with it.

"That's what these games are for, is learning, being exposed to things that you've never really been exposed to, pace, power, running down the wing, the amount of times the defenders have to defend their box."

In the absence of key leaders, including Under-19s captain Joseph McGrath, who joins several potential Dev Squad talents on the First Team's pre-season training camp trip to the Netherlands, McGregor has had to rely on a number of players to become leaders on the pitch during pre-season so far.

With goalkeeper Ryan Mallon taking on the armband, McGregor lavished praise on the shot-stopper, as well as his 'older' teammates for taking on the responsibility.

"All the older guys, and I say older because they're still 17 or 18, they actually took it upon themselves to carry the younger lads through.

"All the 2007s that started had an excellent attitude. An excellent attitude because they're hitting a level of consistency where the younger lads are looking at them and thinking, I aspire to be like him, and that's what we want, that's what breeds success.

"I think the captain's armband for me is always good in the centre of the pitch, straight through the centre. And I think Ryan's improved so much from when he first came in full-time. He's a top goalkeeper, can do everything, and he's a solid personality.

"He's always excellent during their working week, everybody always says how attentive he is and how hard-working he is. I think it'll help him with his organisation skills and his leadership skills as well, putting that armband on."