City club realises transatlantic goal

Published on Thursday 24 January 2008 09:53

IT has offered football coaching to youngsters in the Capital for decades, and counts Scotland keeper Craig Gordon as one of its star ex-players.

Now Edinburgh youth club Tynecastle FC is set to expand its influence further afield, with the creation of a team in the US.

The move will see the club – Tynecastle International FC – established as a "sister" to the Capital side in the city of Everett, in Snohomish County, Washington State.

Under the initiative, young players from the US will be given professional coaching and take to the field in the traditional maroon of their Edinburgh counterparts.

The American team, the first club outside Edinburgh with the Tynecastle name, is the brainchild of former city youth player and Bolton midfielder David Hoggan, who lives in Everett.

The move will give young players the chance to travel to Edinburgh to continue their football careers, which club bosses hope will help unearth new talent for the Capital's professional teams.

Youngsters from Edinburgh will also be given the chance to travel to the US, where they will be able to take scholarships and continue their training.

Tynecastle FC chairman Douglas Dalgleish said the move was a "very exciting step" for the youth side.

He said: "David started his career with Tynecastle, so it has always been a club close to his heart and he really wanted to establish it over in America.

"What we hope to do is encourage some of their players to come over and experience football in Scotland. There's every chance that, if they are good enough, it could help them forge a career here.

"We'll also be looking to send some of our boys over to Everett on sports scholarships."

The Capital side is also in negotiations with ex-pats and former players in Australia, in the hope of setting up a second international side, which they hope could start a franchise of Tynecastle clubs across the globe.

Mr Dalgleish added: "There are former players on every continent, so we're very keen to try to establish more of these sister teams.

"It's all about nurturing young talent and promoting grassroots football."

A spokesman for the US side said: "We have the support of Tynecastle FC and we want to bring the rich history of Tynecastle to the youth of Snohomish county."

HOW TYNECASTLE GAVE TOP PLAYERS A KICK-START

OVER the years, Tynecastle FC has seen a host of former players go on to play for professional clubs and represent or their country at international level.

Among their most famous former players are current Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon and football legend Graeme Souness, who both turned out for the side during its days as Tynecastle Boys Club.

Former Hearts players Mike Galloway and Graham Weir also started their careers with the youth side, as did Nottingham Forest star Terry Wilson.

Ex-Arsenal defender Scott Marshall also played for the club during the 1990s before his move to the London side.