A gifted young Ukrainian footballer has joined Dundee United’s academy after his family found refuge in Scotland.
Stanislav “Stas” Drabych, 11, and his loved ones were forced to flee the war-torn city of Lviv in Western Ukraine following the invasion by Russia.
Drabych had been a promising talent in his homeland and was part of the FC Lviv academy, which provided training and schooling for the region’s top prospects.
After settling in Dundee in March, the schoolboy’s ability soon became apparent — to the point where United were contacted by one of his primary school teachers.
Drabych was invited for a trial by the Tangerines and has subsequently been snapped up by their academy.
Tannadice head of player care, education and safeguarding Niall Nicolson has vowed that United will do everything in their power to help Drabych — on and off the pitch.
Heroic Dundee United business chief opens up on second Ukraine mercy mission and reveals he will return a THIRD time https://t.co/4PvVXa8nJq pic.twitter.com/w1E6RSTeM9
— The Courier Sport (@thecouriersport) April 13, 2022
“We take player care very seriously at Dundee United and have done all we can to help Stas and his family,” Nicolson told United’s official club website.
“He was buddied up with an established player and we have worked with him on the language barrier. He couldn’t speak a lot of English at first and this was an entirely different culture.
“His dad was also out of work initially, so we helped with transport to training and also used Google Translate on the phone to communicate.”
‘It was like Christmas Day’
Nicolson added: “Stas also got the chance, as other academy players do, to be the ballboy at a game and when I told him it was like Christmas Day.
“He loved the experience and we’ll do all we can to help him — and all players under our care — feel at home at Dundee United.”
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