Ex-Trinity kid Kevin took the long road to winning first cap
But coach praises grit shown by striker to reinvent himself
Kevin Nisbet’s Scotland debut against Faroe Islands last week capped a remarkable journey from rejection to redemption.
It was less than three years ago that the Cambuslang man’s career was in the balance after being released from Partick Thistle.
So many young footballers would have meandered down the path to anonymity, but leaving the Firhill club has proved to be the catalyst which resurrected Nisbet’s career.
His introduction at Hampden on Wednesday night was testament to his character in adversity and it fulfilled a heart-warming promise he made to his late father.
Former Trinity High School pupil Nisbet, 24, has acclimatised to top-flight football at Hibernian impressively after leaving the Easter Road side as an under15s player.
“I was working closely with the under17s and Kevin’s mum phoned me and she asked me if there was anything that I could do for him,” said Partick Thistle’s academy director Scott Allison on Nisbet – one of the first players recruited into the Thistle Weir youth academy.
“He’d left school, Hibs and was in the wilderness, so I got him in one day to our programme. I was assessing him by feeding him passes, getting him to take shots and checking his movement – testing all his fundamental qualities.
“He clearly wasn’t fit or sharp because he hadn’t played football for a while but his finishing was spectacular.
“He was a natural finisher and he’s still the best I’ve ever seen at youth level. He was brilliant at any finish; left-foot, rightfoot, long distance or short distances.”
Allison immediately instructed Jags chief Gerry Britton to get Nisbet signed up and the striker’s prolific form in the academy caught the attention of firstteam boss Alan Archibald.
After a productive loan spell at East Stirlingshire, Nisbet was handed his Scottish Premiership debut for Thistle against Ross County in September 2015.
Allison believes exposure to first-team football is the pivotal moment in any young footballer’s career but Nisbet didn’t kick on.
He said: “Players get a taste of firstteam football and success so it becomes vitally important to see how a player reacts to that.
“Kevin has admitted that he never worked hard enough. I’m still in touch with Kevin and he will be the first person to tell you his attitude wasn’t great.
“So many boys have the opportunity to fulfil their dreams but when they get to those crucial ages – 18 to 20 – then they can get drawn into Scottish cultures.
“Kevin fell into that but he clawed himself out of it, and leaving Thistle was probably a blessing in disguise.”
After the Maryhill side were relegated from the Premiership at the end of the 2017/18 season, Thistle boss Archibald decided that Nisbet hadn’t earned a new deal.
Loan moves at Ayr United and Dumbarton proved disappointing and some people within Scottish football had disregarded Nisbet, but Allison praised his resilience and the support he received from his family.
He said: “Speaking to Kevin now, that’s when the penny dropped. Some players can become lost to football but he had fantastic support from his family.
“His mum, his dad – who has sadly passed away – and his brother, who is a personal trainer, he had a great support network around him and he was lucky to get another opportunity.”
Nisbet’s ascent through the leagues and into the Scotland squad hasn’t shocked Allison and he couldn’t be more pleased for the Hibs star.
He said: “The Kevin Nisbet I speak to now is a different Kevin Nisbet. He’s matured into a professional footballer with a steely mindset.
“He’s been through a lot and he’s now got that determination to be the best that he can be.
“We are so proud of him because we always felt he had the potential to go and play at the very highest level.
“He’s still not finished. He will play for Scotland, move down to England and he can go to the very top level – if Kevin wants to.”
With his career at a crossroads after leaving Thistle, Nisbet’s options were limited and he was offered a trial by League One side Raith Rovers.
Manager Barry Smith was suitably impressed and offered him a one-year contract at the Kirkcaldy side.
The penny had dropped for Nisbet and he was determined to prove his worth as John McGlynn, who replaced Smith as Rovers boss in September 2018, attests.
The 59 year-old manager was astonished by the striker’s ability. He said: “You could tell immediately that he was a top player. You can tell within five minutes if you’ve got a player or not and that was the case with Kevin.
“His technical ability and awareness was sticking out by a country mile. I’ve read bits and pieces of what Kevin’s said about not having the best of attitudes and that was the only reason he was at Raith Rovers.
“Somewhere along the line, the switch had flicked and he began to fulfil his potential.”
McGlynn’s ability to spot talent is renowned and before joining Raith, the well-respected figure was a first-team scout under Brendan Rodgers at Celtic.
Less than two months into his tenure at Stark’s Park, McGlynn was so enlivened by Nisbet’s potential that a new contract was offered, and signed, in November. Nisbet finished the season