U19s :: The Players
Goalkeepers
 R. Thomson |
 L. Fasan |
 G. Daniels |
 N. Feely |
Defenders
 J. Chalmers |
 M. Fraser |
 C. Jones |
 P. McNally |
 M. Miller |
 F. Twardzik |
 P. Twardzik |
 M. Yaqub |
Midfielders
 D. Fisher |
 P. George |
 J. Herron |
 J. Irvine |
 D. McGeouch |
 C. McGregor |
Attackers
 J. Alabi |
 B. Atajic |
 L. Gormley |
 T. Watt |
GOALKEEPERS
ROBBIE THOMSON
The son of former Dunfermline keeper, Scott Thomson, Robbie has followed in his father's footsteps and pulled on the gloves. He has worked his way through the ranks at Celtic, learning his trade between the sticks. Nick Feely's return from injury pushed him down the pecking order in the latter stages of last season but with the Australian progressing up to the Development Squad, Thomson's final year at 19s' level will be crucial to his progress.
LEONARDO FASAN
The Italian goalkeeper has worked his way through the youth levels at Celtic and won the Jack Wood Trophy in 2010 with the Under-16s. He started the last two Glasgow Cup finals for the 17s, winning the trophy on his second attempt at the end of last season.
GLENN DANIELS
One of the summer's new signings, Glenn Daniels is of Belgian origin and made the move to the Hoops from Birmingham City. The 17-year-old plays in goals and is in competition with Thomson and Fasan for the place between the sticks.
NICK FEELY
Nick Feely has progressed from the Under-19s to the Development Squad this season.
Despite a trial at the Hoops during his school years, the Australian goalkeeper held off his move to Glasgow until he had finished his education.
Signing at the start of the 2010/11 campaign, at the age of 18, he suffered an early setback, missing the first three months through injury.
He overcame this, however, and made the No.1 shirt his own towards the closing months of the season playing a big part in the 19s’ double-winning success. He also represented Australia in the Under-20 World Cup in the summer.
DEFENDERS
JOE CHALMERS
Chalmers started for the first-team in the friendly against Atheltic Bilbao in March and looked comfortable in the left-back position. His involvement with the first-team was a big step as it came during his first campaign as a professional player. He has been on the books at Celtic since he was 10-years old, and at the end of last season, at the age of just 16, he forced his way into the 19s squad. He was also named as a substitute for the first-team's European match against Rennes.
MARCUS FRASER
Over the course of last season Fraser impressed at 17s' level which ultimately led to a greater involvement with the 19s. In March he capped off an international call-up for Scotland's 17s by travelling to Bilbao with the Celtic first-team and hasn't looked back. He has since went on train with the senior squad and make several appearances on the bench. Building on this, he made his debut at this level in November, coming on as a half-time substitute in the UEFA Europa League match against Rennes, with the Hoops winning 3-1.
CURTIS JONES
The Manchester-born centre-half arrived from Stockport in the summer of 2009 as a 15-year-old and became a regular in the Under-17s team. Injuries held him back at the start of the 2010/11 campaign and he was unlucky to miss the Youth Cup final win after suffering concussion in training. Jones was included in Neil Lennon's squad for the friendly against Athletic Bilbao and came on as a substitute.
PADDY McNALLY
The central defender from Belfast signed at the start of the season. The Irish internationalist has been plying his trade with the U17s but is pushing for a place in the 19s after being included in training sessions and squads over the course of the season.
MICHAEL MILLER
School leaver, Michael Miller, has built on his experience of winning the Glasgow Cup last season by playing his way into the 19s' first-team and quickly becoming a regular. He played the full 90 minutes of the 1-0 win against Rangers at Celtic Park, fulfilling his duties at right-back and has made his move up look effortless.
FILIP TWARDZIK
The Czech teenager has been pushing for the first-team since he joined the club and impressed in the 2-2 game against Lyon in last season's Emirates Cup. He is a versatile performer who can play in a number of positions across midfield, up front and left-back.
PATRIK TWARDZIK
Czech teenager Patrik, is just as versatile as his twin brother Filip and has also worked his way into Neil Lennon's plans this season. He was included in the squad which travelled to France to play Rennes in the UEFA Europa League Cup in October. He can also play in many positions across midfield and is also dangerous from the free-kick position.
MO YAQUB
The 17-year-old turned professional last year and has forced his way into the U19 squad after working his way up from the 15s. Yaqub began his career as a central midfielder but operates more commonly at left-back now. He has also represented Scotland at 17s' level.
MIDFIELDERS
DARNEL FISHER
Celtic managed to tie up teenager Darnel Fisher on his first professional contract in the summer of 2011. The English central midfielder played for Reading based club Eldon Celtic before moving on to Farnborough. Fisher spent a large portion of last season on trial with the Hoops before making the move permanent at the end of the campaign. He has slowly worked his way into the coaches' plans and has been a more prominent figure in recent months.
PAUL GEORGE
George joined Celtic full-time when he was only 14-years old and made his first-team debut, two years later, in April 2010 in a friendly against AZ Alkmaar. He was earmarked at a young age as the one to watch and the Irish midfielder continued to impress when he scored the winning goal against Rangers in the Glasgow Cup final in May 2011. Neil Lennon has never hid his interest in the creative teenager, who can play up front or on the wing, and handed him his competitive debut against Ross County in September 2011.
JOHN HERRON
17-year-old midfielder has secured a regular place in the 19s' starting XI after an outstanding 2010/11 season. He can play in the centre but has been deployed on the wing and on the right of a three-man midfield this year. The Hoops fan joined his boyhood heroes at the age of nine and turned professional at the start of the 2010/11 season. He captained the 16s to victory in the Aberdeen International Football Festival and was then called up to the Scotland 17s' squad for the European qualifiers. He also wore the armband in last season's U17s Glasgow Cup triumph.
JACKSON IRVINE
The Aussie teenager impressed as a youngster in the Victoria League and was soon attracting the interest of A-League teams. Celtic were soon alerted to his potential and, after a successful trial period, the young midfielder joined the Hoops permanently in December 2010. He made the step up from 17s' level towards the end of the 2010/11 season, cementing his place in central midfield and scoring two goals in the process. He has worn the captain's armband this season and has also featured in central defence where he can put in an equally reliable shift.
DYLAN McGEOUCH
As a youngster, Dylan played for Celtic, alongside the likes of James Keatings and Callum McGregor as they entered their teenage years. He moved to Rangers for a short spell but returned to his boyhood heroes in the summer of 2011 and has settled back into the surroundings with ease. Having recovered from injury, he has not only been an important player for the 19s, but he has also featured for the first-team. He made a name for himself in November when he scored a wonder goal on his home debut for the senior side, against St Mirren, in the 5-0 win.
CALLUM McGREGOR
The 18-year-old was a crucial player for the 19s last season and that experience has proved to be vital in his final year at youth level. McGregor has worked his way through the Celtic ranks and broke into the 19s at the end of the 2009/10 season, scoring the goal which clinched the title. Comfortable in both midfield and up front, the creative attacker was also a key player in the 2011 Youth Cup final victory. He has also been working his way into the first-team, being included in Neil Lennon's squads, and making the bench in the UEFA Europa League tie in France, against Rennes.
ATTACKERS
JAMES ALABI
James Alabi was one of three English strikers to sign at the start of the 2011/12 campaign. He made the move from Stoke City and despite still being young enough to play at 17s level he has worked his way into Tommy McIntyre and John Kennedy's plans this season.
BAHRUDIN ATAJIC
Atajic's family are from Bosnia but he was born in Vastervik, Sweden. He has lived most of his life in Malmo, however, and it was at their youth club he was spotted by Celtic. He signed for the Hoops and moved to Glasgow in January 2010 but suffered two long-term injuries shortly after. He's a versatile attacking player but like last season, he has found himself being used more as a substitute rather than a regular starter.
LIAM GORMLEY
Gormley was brought to Celtic from Motherwell in 2009 and is a fast paced centre-forward. The Scotland internationalist can also play on the wings and through the middle. It was his stunning strike, nine minutes from time, which sealed the Youth Cup in March 2011. The 18-year-old's extra-time volley was worthy of winning any game let alone a cup final at the national stadium. He has been unfortunate to miss most of this season through injury.
TONY WATT
Beginning his professional career at Airdrie United, Watt caught the attention of his boyhood heroes and played as a trialist in a youth friendly against Liverpool. Less than two months later he signed for the Hoops and had a successful half-season in the green and white. The striker opened his scoring account against Rangers in a 3-0 win and also netted the day the 19s won the league against Motherwell. He plays well as the lone striker, which he has done often this season, and scored in both the home and away ties against Barcelona in the NextGen Series.
