Williamson keeps place for double-header

Dunfermline full-back Ryan Williamson has kept his place in the Scotland squad for the Uefa Euro Under-21 Championship doubleheader against Latvia and Ukraine in Perth.

The 21-year-old Fifer made his debut for his country as a substitute in the 3-1 loss to England in Middlesbrough on October 6 and also featured from the bench in the away win over Latvia four days later.

Now he has been called up again by coach Scot Gemmill for the McDiarmid Park qualifiers against the Latvians on November 10 and the Ukrainians on the 14th.

Also in the squad is St Johnstone defender Jason Kerr, who is currently on loan at Queen of the South.

West Brom winger Oliver Burke misses out because of a hamstring injury while winger Michael Johnston, who started for Celtic against Kilmarnock on Saturday, has dropped down to the Under-19s for a trio of European qualifiers.

Gemmill’s squad shows 19 of the 23 are home-based and the coach feels that is a positive reflection on the domestic scene.

“I think there’s real justification for them being given the opportunity,” he said. “The players are consistently playing at a very good level.

“It’s a long time since the Under-21s have had so many players playing consistently every Saturday.

“It’s what we all wanted and what we feel is really going to propel them upwards.”

Squad: Doohan (Celtic), Fulton (Hamilton), Robby McCrorie (Rangers), Ruddy (Wolves); Kerr (St Johnstone, on loan at Queen of the South), Ross McCrorie (Rangers), McKenna (Aberdeen), Miller (Celtic), Smith (Hearts), Souttar (Hearts), Taylor (Kilmarnock), Williamson (Dunfermline); Cadden (Motherwell), Archibald (Brentford), Campbell (Motherwell), Docherty (Hamilton), Magennis (St Mirren), Mallan (Barnsley), Thomas (Kilmarnock) Morgan (St Mirren); Hardie (Rangers), McBurnie (Swansea), Wright (Aberdeen).

Ryan Williamson: came off the bench for debut.