Martin O’Neill was in attendance as Celtic B got their Lowland League West campaign up and running at home with an emphatic 6-1 win over Clydebank.
O’Neill watched from the stands at the Albert Bartlett Stadium in Airdrie as Stephen McManus’ side produced a performance that will have caught the eye, even if the focus remains firmly on player development rather than results.
It has been a new start for the B team this season after the Lowland League was split into two divisions, East and West. Celtic opened the campaign with a 3-2 defeat away to Beith, but there was a swift response in front of their own supporters.
Last season, Celtic finished 10th with 46 points from 34 matches. There is plenty of work to do if they are to improve on that return, but this was an encouraging afternoon against opponents expected to be among the strongest sides in the division.
Clydebank arrived in Airdrie after opening their season with a 4-2 win over Newton Stewart. They have been tipped by many to challenge for the title after narrowly missing out by two points last season, making Celtic’s margin of victory all the more impressive.
Rhys Dargie was the standout performer.
The 19-year-old, who signed his first professional contract in 2023 before extending his stay until 2028, helped himself to a hat-trick as Celtic overwhelmed one of the league favourites.
There were familiar names elsewhere in the starting line-up too.
Francis Turley and Joseph Haney both featured after spending pre-season around O’Neill’s senior squad. Both youngsters have already had a taste of the first-team environment, and this was another opportunity to show their progress in a competitive setting.
Hassan Dembele, the younger brother of former Celtic winger Karamoko Dembele, also started as Celtic’s young side showed plenty of attacking quality throughout the evening.
Whether O’Neill’s appearance was linked to the first team or simply an opportunity to keep an eye on the next generation is open to interpretation. He has remained close to keeping tabs on prospects and regularly takes an interest in what is happening behind the scenes.
With the Premiership opener against Dundee on Monday, O’Neill already has a good understanding of the options available to him. Even so, afternoons like this are exactly what young players need if they are to force themselves into the conversation.
One performance does not guarantee a first-team opportunity, but a 6-1 win against one of the division’s fancied sides, with several highly rated prospects involved, will do no harm at all. For Dargie in particular, it was the sort of display that keeps his name firmly in the minds of those watching from higher up the club as he continues to develop.
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