Dean Campbell gets top marks as youngest Aberdeen player

Friday was a remarkable day for Dean Campbell. In the morning the S4 Hazlehead Academy pupil sat his English exam, and in the evening he became Aberdeen's youngest ever player.

Dean Campbell makes his debut for Aberdeen. Picture: Alan Harvey/SNS

At one month and 23 days over 16, Campbell beat Jack Grimmer’s previous mark for the record Dons debutant when he replaced Niall McGinn for the closing moments of the 3-1 defeat by Celtic at Pittodrie.

What’s more, he received a note of congratulations from the Scottish Football Association for becoming the first player from the governing body’s performance school project – launched in August 2012 – to make a competitive club debut.

“Dean Campbell is one of the biggest Aberdeen fans at the club,” said manager Derek McInnes. “His family are all massive fans. It meant a lot to them.

“We are stretched at the moment because of injuries so he might not have been given that opportunity, but his position on the bench was merited after some of his performances.

“He was at school earlier. It is a good story and hopefully it will be the first of many for him. He’s a boy we think a lot of.

“There are few others at that age who are coming through. He may well get more opportunities before the end of the season.