Thursday 12th January, 2023 at 2:30pm
The Thistle Weir Youth Academy can confirm that Head of Youth Phase, Ryan McCann, will leave the Academy to take up a new career opportunity.
Ryan has been part of the Thistle Weir Youth Academy since 2013 beginning his journey in the Academy as a coach and administrator before moving onto the Head of Professional Phase Coaching role in 2018, a role overseeing the development of players in the transitional phase between academy and first team squads.
More recently, Ryan has held the role of Head of Youth Phase, an important role which oversaw the development of players in the under 18s squad helping to transition them towards first team football at Partick Thistle.
With over 25 years of footballing experience as a player and coach, Ryan played a key part in completing the Academy journey for a number of young footballers including Ben Stanway, Zander MacKenzie and Ji Stevenson who all signed modern apprenticeships with the Club in the last 12 months.
Ryan leaves the Academy with our thanks for his hard work over a decade of service to the Academy and with the best wishes of everyone associated with Partick Thistle for his new role and career moving forward.
Ryan McCann said: “I’ve really enjoyed every minute of my time at the Thistle Weir Youth Academy since joining in 2013. I leave the Academy with an incredibly heavy heart but a new career opportunity was offered to me and I felt it was time for a new challenge.
“During my time within the Academy I have played my small part in helping to develop players for the first team here at Firhill, alongside many other talented coaches who work within the Academy, including Head of Children’s Phase, Craig Mair, who I’ve shared an office, and many laughs with, over the course of my time at Firhill. I have also worked under three brilliant Academy Directors in Gerry Britton, Scott Allison and Paul McDonald who have all invested in me as a coach and I leave the Academy as a better coach than when I arrived in 2013.
Academy Director, Paul McDonald, said: “Since I’ve arrived at the Academy just over a year ago, Ryan has been one of the coaches who has helped me transition into the Academy and allowed us all to share in the pride of promoting three of our graduates into the Football Club during 2022. Ryan leaves with my deepest thanks for the hard work he has done since I arrived at the Club and I wish him well in his new opportunity which is an exciting one for Ryan.
“There is a very clear and established pathway for young players at this club with Ben Stanway, Zander MacKenzie and Ji Stevenson all promoted as Modern Apprentices at the Club in the last twelve months. The recruitment process is already underway to find someone to fill the vacant role and we hope to announce a new addition to the Academy shortly.”
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