Celtic's Got Talent

Martin Miller is bowing out after many years with the Celtic Youth Academy, helping to develop players to wear the Hoops

- Paul Cuddihy

LOOK up the phrase ‘unsung hero’ in the dictionary and there’s a good chance you’ll see a picture of Martin Miller alongside it.

The Celtic Academy Manager for Under-7s-15s has been an integral part of the club’s youth set-up for many years now, and takes pride in the success story that the Academy has been.

Since 2000/01, a total of 51 Academy Bhoys have made a first-team appearance for Celtic, the most recent being Karamoko Dembele, while 19 have gone on to play for the club in the UEFA Champions League. And a total of 190 players, including those 51, have progressed to play senior football in Scotland or England.

These are impressive statistics, and contradict occasional and ill-informed narratives that aim to question or criticise the Academy set-up. The current Celtic team can boast of two of the Academy’s two most successful graduates in James Forrest and Callum McGregor, while Kieran Tierney moved to Arsenal recently in a big-money transfer.

Among those aiming to emulate those players are Mikey Johnston, while others continue to push through the ranks, a sign of the strength and health within the club.

For Martin Miller, it vindicates all of the work the coaches do throughout the different age groups, all overseen by Head of Youth, Chris McCart.

Now, however, Martin is taking a step back from the Academy as he retires this week after 22 years working with the club. By his own admission, it has been an incredible journey and one that he looks back on with great fondness.

“Back in 1997, I was working as a business studies school teacher and I went to do my ‘B’ coaching licence at the time,” he explained. “I was the only non-ex professional to pass the licence.