JACOB TOLAND
Barrhead YFC chairman Graham Vance has hailed the club’s Under-21 side for reaching a historic Scottish Cup final.
A 6-2 semi-final victory over Rossvale sealed the side’s spot in a dream showdown against Rutherglen Glencairn in May.
The two sides will battle for the coveted silverware at Airdrie’s Excelsior Stadium on Friday, May 17.
Vance told Express Sport : “On behalf of everyone at Barrhead YFC we would like to congratulate all the players and management of our Under-21 side for reaching the Scottish Cup final.
“The group has continued to grow week on week and proved that they are a special group of players.
“The club has achieved a reasonable amount of success in the Scottish Cup over the last few years after the 2003 Reds and the Under-19s won the Scottish Cup in recent times.
“Hopefully the Under-21s can keep the good run going and lift the Scottish Cup as well.
“The coaching staff and players of the side have been brave, achieving, resilient, respectful, and healthy. They enjoy what they are doing, have a great attitude and are continually developing.
“Doing this they have been tremendous role models for the rest of the young boys and girls that play football throughout the club.”
Prior to defeating Rossvale in the semi-final, a game in which they were 6-0 up at one point, the cup run also included a 7-1 thrashing of Inverclyde, a 5- 1 victory away to Gartcairn and a 4-0 victory at Vale of Leven.
Manager Barry Lemke was in charge of the team last year and oversaw a host of players and management staff all leave the club.
With a number of the squad becoming too old to play Under-21 football, Lemke has said the turnover in players makes the cup run even more remarkable.
He said: “It is a massive achievement, considering what happened to the club last summer when we lost all our players.
“We came back from the summer break with nothing. 20 players turned up and we gave them trials and it just went on from there.
“We’re still competing in every competition but this will be the pinnacle of the season.”
The run to the final means the club has now secured enough funding to be able to order all the equipment they need for the rest of the season. They are also able to order the majority of next season’s kits.
And Vance was full of praise for everyone involved with the club. He added: “I want to say a huge thanks to the volunteers within the under-21 side.
“For a group of men to come together to provide boys with a chance to compete at the highest level of youth football is unbelievable.
“These guys that give up there time every week deserve more credit that we can actually give them.
“Let’s not forget Beth who also helps to try and prepare all the kit for the players to look the best they possibly can.”
The group has continued to grow week on week