Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
QPR hand trial chance to ‘Doc’
Albion Rovers boss Brian Reid says the sky is the limit for young players at the club, with striker Kyle Doherty potentially netting a move to QPR.
The 20-year-old was suspended for the Scottish Cup third round clash at Ayr United on Saturday, so instead travelled to London for a trial with the English Championship club.
If successful, he will join their development squad, and Reid says that shows other kids at Cliftonhill what is possible.
Former St Mirren kid Doherty has scored seven times in 21 games in all competitions this season, and has clearly caught the eye.
Reid said: “it’s a great opportunity; he’s just turned 20, the boy, and a Championship club showing an interest gives him great confidence, and it’s good for our club.
“We’re always going to be a pathway for players to maybe try and step back up to full-time football, and that’s what we’re providing.
“Hopefully Kyle goes down there and does well, but we’ll need to wait and see – at the moment we haven’t had any feedback.
“Doc has taken that opportunity, and good luck to him. It’s certainly good for his confidence,
and hopefully that will help him. Doc has a lot of good attributes; he’s got two good feet, he’s strong, quick, works hard, has a decent touch and an eye for goal, and he’s young enough, so that’s something a lot of clubs are looking at.
“He’s earned that opportunity, and hopefully it works out well for him, but we’ll wait and see where it goes.”
Reid says this shows others at the club what is possible, and said: “even if nothing came of it this time, it’s certainly a situation that should help him in terms of a confidence boost, and it should help other players at the club as well to see there’s an opportunity there if they’re doing well enough.
“A lot of English clubs have scouts all throughout Scotland, and Albion Rovers have a lot of young players who are 18, 19, 20, which are the ones they’re looking at.
“If they’re doing well enough we’ll certainly not stand in their way – it’s an opportunity for them to prove they’re good enough to move on. I’ve always said to any player coming in that they should never be satisfied playing League Two or even League One – they should try and aim for the top if they can, and that’s the opportunity we’ll give them.
“There is a pathway to first of all play regular football, but if you’re doing well enough there’s always somebody watching – never ever think there’s not somebody watching – and you need to be at it every game.
“If you are, and you’re consistently performing at a good level, it should open some doors for you.”