Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee United and Hibs stars battle with ex-Rangers ace for young player award

The Scottish Football Writers' Association have revealed the five candidates for the young player of the year award.

Calvin Ramsay, Josh Doig, Ross Graham, Stephen Welsh and Nathan Patterson have been nominated for the gong.

Ramsay has had a breakthrough season at Aberdeen becoming a first-team regular at right-back. His form earned him Scotland Under-21 recognition and he has attracted plenty of interest from around the UK and Europe with Liverpool and Leeds United the latest to be linked. The Dons turned down an offer from Bologna for the 18-year-old in January.

Doig will be looking to defend the award he won last year. He has once again been an important player for Hibs and has carried out different roles, playing as a left-back, left-sided centre-back and a wing-back.

One of the stories of the season has to be Ross Graham. The centre-back spent the first half of the season on loan at Dunfermline Athletic where he struggled as the Pars struggled. But having returned to Tannadice he has performed admirably as part of a defensive three with Charlie Mulgrew and Ryan Edwards. He is another who has earned a Scotland Under-21 call-up.

At Celtic, Stephen Welsh has been a squad player but an important one at that. The 22-year-old has featured 23 times under Ange Postecoglou and was rewarded with a new long-term contract.

The final nominee is Nathan Patterson who spent the first half of the season at Rangers, playing 11 times before Everton spent a large sum to land the Scotland international in January. His campaign has been cut short due to ankle surgery.