Davie was soon tuned in to playing a new position
There will still be a few young players hoping to break into their club’s first-team this season.
But the first appearance isn’t always the one that defines a career.
Davie Whiteford discovered that not long after making his Motherwell debut in October, 1966.
He played at right-half in a 3-0 defeat at Dens Park, and was then sent back to the Fir Park reserves.
But a bit of bad fortune for a team-mate led to him finding a position that he made his own.
As Davie recalls, his call-up for a game against Rangers on November 5 was something of a surprise.
He said: “Matt Thomson, who was our captain, went down with flu on the Friday.
“That led to me getting a message to report with the first-team at Ibrox.
“It was the first time I’d played at right-back – and I was up against Willie Johnston.
“Although we lost 5-1, I must have done OK because I kept my position and that was me a right-back.”
Davie’s arrival as a professional footballer at Motherwell was something he describes as a fairytale.
He explained: “I was studying to be a PE teacher at Jordanhill College in Glasgow.
“We played in the Combined Reserve League, and played against some decent opposition.
“There were the reserve teams of some pretty big clubs, along with the Rangers and Celtic third teams.
“Hugh Brown, the father of future Scotland manager Craig, took the team.
“He said to me that he would get me a team, and arranged for me to train with Motherwell during the week before the new season.
“The manager, Bobby Howitt, then asked me to play against Morton on a Wednesday night.
“Defenders John Martis and George Murray were both holding out for better deals.
“So I was suddenly playing at centre-half against Morton’s great striker, Joe Harper. “The next day, I signed on a permanent deal. “But John and George came to an agreement with the club, so I started off with the reserves.”
Davie’s first goal for Motherwell came in October, 1967 when he took over penalty-kick duties and scored from the spot against Hearts.
He was one of the first modern full-backs. “I liked to get down the touchline as an attacking right-back and get crosses in,” he said.
“As well as penalties, I got a few more goals and always enjoyed going forward.”
Away from the pitch, he was also a man with a bit of creative flair.
Along with wife Sheila, he formed a band, Forever Amber. The name, of course, was inspired by the Motherwell colours.
Also in the line-up were two Sixth-Form pupils at Garrion Academy, David Orr and Ronnie Walker, where Davie worked as a PE teacher.
He said: “It was just something we did for a bit of fun with a couple of acoustic guitars. “We never intended to take it too seriously. “The biggest claim to fame was probably that a Motherwell supporter arranged for us to play a golf club where we were the support act for Kenny Ball And His Jazzmen.”
After more than 250 games for Motherwell, Davie was released in 1973 and was snapped up by Falkirk boss, John Prentice.
Davie, now 78, later spent three years playing with East Stirlingshire, and had a couple of seasons as manager of the club in the 1980s. There was also an adventure in Africa. He said: “I had a spell coaching in Zambia. “The players trained four times a week. Some of them were also working down the mines, and would often have two games at the weekend.
“They were just desperate to play football, and I’m not surprised that some really talented guys are now coming from there.”
Davie’s father, Jock, played for Stirling Albion, his brother John was with Airdrie, Falkirk and Dumbarton, while his cousin, Derek, played for Hibs and Airdrie.