Young players news

Celtic midfielder joins and Three contract extensions confirmed.

Seventeen year old Celtic midfielder, Scott Cusick has joined Dunfermline and the club have agreed contract extensions with three of their own promising young players. Matthew Todd (18), Paul Allan (19) and Lewis McCann (18) have today signed new contracts that tie them to the club until May 2022.

Stevie Crawford explained that Scott Cusick has been training at Dunfermline now for a couple of weeks and was the Trialist who played in the Reserve League match against Dundee United.

“Greg Shields has spent a fair bit of time on the player that we see there is potential in. We have been really impressed with his work ethic. He has good feet, an attacking minded player and he is very keen to get his head down and come and commit albeit his short term future towards Dunfermline.”

Matty Todd was one of six players who move up from Fife Elite Football Academy for season 2018-2019.

The former Dunfermline High School pupil plays anywhere in midfield and was signed up by Stephen Wright for Dunfermline after turning down an offer from Celtic.

He played almost every under 20s match in season 2017-2018 before making his first team debut in the Challenge Cup match away to Inverness Caley Thistle on 14 August 2018. He made his league debut when he replaced Kallum Higginbotham late in the second half of the 3-0 win over Partick Thistle later that season.

In season 2019-2020 Matty started in the Challenge Cup against Alloa Athletic and so far has made five other appearances off the bench. He has now started six first team games and made sub appearances ten times.

Another graduate of Fife Elite Academy, Paul Allan has been out on loan at Brechin City since September 2019. He has certainly been given first team experience there, having made fifteen appearances and opening his goalscoring account against Cowdenbeath just last Saturday.

Paul Allan spent the month of April 2017 training with Benfica in Portugal and they rated him as a number six. After playing with the reserves through the 2016-2017 season Paul signed a two year deal at Dunfermline Athletic in May 2017.

Paul rates Stephen Wright as his biggest influence through the Dunfermline youth system and Fife Elite. Paul progressed from the age of 9 when Stephen was his coach, prior to that it was his uncle who was his coach at Inverkeithing Boys Club but from the age of ten years old he has been at Dunfermline.

In the U20s Paul enjoyed learning from players like Lewis Martin, Callum Fordyce and John Potter.

Loaned out to Stenhousemuir in August 2017 and then to Hill of Beath in January 2018. Then in September 2019 Paul went out on loan to Brechin City until 2020.

Despite having been attached to Raith Rovers while at Fife Elite Lewis McCann joined Dunfermline in May 2018. Eighteen year old striker from Edinburgh joined Dunfermline initially on a two year deal

Lewis was ten years at Hutchieson Vale before joining Hearts for a year and then moving on to Fife Elite for two seasons. He played striker at Hutchy, was a left midfielder at Hearts and first year with Fife Elite before been deployed at striker again.

At six foot two Lewis rates his greatest strength as his finishing. He is quick, right footed and no surprise, he is good in the air.

Lewis has made several appearances for Northern Ireland at U19 level and was called up to the U21 squad for the internationals in September 2019. One cap at U21 level. He has started 8 first team matches and come on of the bench 17 times.

Look out for reaction comments from Stevie Crawford, Matty Todd, Paul Allan and Lewis McCann tomorrow Friday.

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