Youth Academy looking to unearth more stars as Aaron joins Rangers

The Showgrounds club’s youth section recently waved goodbye to another of its successful ‘exports’, with teenager Aaron McGregor signing a two-year deal with Glasgow Rangers.

The Limavady-based player was brought to the club by former Youth Academy coach Nigel Law – now on the coaching staff at Glentoran – after impressing in the Milk Cup a couple of years ago and he was also coached by current United under-17 manager Steven O’Neill, as well as playing regularly in Gareth Montgomery’s reserve team last season.

He was also in Roy Walker’s senior panel for the final game of last season but was an unused sub.

“It is a real feather in the Youth Academy’s cap to see Aaron sign for Rangers,” BUYA vice-chairman Stanley Galbraith told Times Sport.

“It shows what can be achieved through hard work as well as ability.

“Aaron was coming from Limavady twice a week and trying to juggle that with his exams so it showed tremendous commitment by him and his parents.

“The transfers involving Aaron and, at a different level, Michael Smith, show that Ballymena is a club which will help players fulfil their dream of playing professionally and that is what young players and their parents are looking for.

“At the end of the day, developing players is the be-all-and-end-all for the Youth Academy, more so than winning trophies, nice as that is.

“We try to bring through players primarily for the senior team but every now and again there are players with the ability to progress further in the game.

“We’re looking forward to the new season and continuing to bring players through – we try to get two or three into the youth team every year and we have done that on a fairly regular basis,” added Stanley.

Meanwhile, as referred to earlier in this story, Michael Smith completed his move from Ballymena to Bristol Rovers this week, signing a two-year deal.

He said: “I would like to thank everyone involved with Ballymena United from the board and the management team to the fans.

“I loved every minute of my two-and-a-half years there and I really appreciate all the support that everyone gave me,” added Michael, who wished Ballymena all the best for the new season.