Steven MacLean handed St Johstone’s kids a chance to shine against Dunfermline, then told them: “There’ more where that came from.”
Player movement at McDiarmid Park this summer has so far all been in one direction – out the door.
With a number of stars also injured, it’s a situation that has left gaffer MacLean short of numbers.
But it has also opened the door for his youth hopefuls to take their careers to the next level.
Goalkeeper Ross Sinclair and midfielder Cammy Ballantyne have already made the leap to the first team.
The question now is, who will follow?
“There are going to be opportunities for [young players],” said MacLean.
“We have got seven injuries, so that’s the reason that you saw more of them.
“But I was always going to give Liam Parker, Taylor Steven and Alex Ferguson chances.
“Because they are sort of in the bracket of [being] just ready to go [into the first team] or just underneath it and we need to find out where they are.
“Obviously there are younger ones, Fran (Franczak, 15), Jackson (Mylchreest, 16), Ben (McCrystal, 17), I’m really happy with them.
“It’s great for them, it’s great exposure. Needs must because we had a few knocks, that’s why the younger ones were involved [at Dunfermline].
“I thought on the whole Liam (Parker) did well, Taylor Steven did well. Alex (Ferguson) obviously got injured, he was playing right back – a wee bit different for him.
“But he’s done well coming back. So, chuffed with them.”
