Celtic legend Scott Brown had good words for two young players from his old club after handing them game time in Ayr United’s League Cup match against St Mirren. Ayr may have lost 2-1, but Brown saw enough from Jude Bonnar and Kyle Ure to feel positive about what lies ahead for the pair.
Ure only signed for Ayr in the days leading up to the tie but was quickly added to the squad. The young midfielder got a taste of senior football and will now get more chances to show what he can do as he settles into his new club.
Brown, who knows the demands at Celtic inside out, made clear he’s been impressed with both players’ ability and mindset. After the match, he praised their attitude and potential, saying regular minutes could help them keep progressing.
He said: (BBC Sportsound), “Well, they’re here on loan at this moment in time.
“So for us, if you’re good enough, you get game time, and Jude, so far, has shown that it’s not out of his depth, that he can probably push on again.
“And for us, it’s a huge benefit for him coming from the Celtic B team to get in game time against men last season, to coming in to help us as well.
“Sometimes it’s that little step too early, but I thought it’s been good timing.
“Kyle we’ve not seen too much of just yet, so he was only in training just the other day, and then gets his minutes on the park today, so we’ll see a lot more of Kyle.
“But two of them are fantastic footballers, and we’ve got another couple of lefties in the team, but the two of them have got good understanding of the game, and they want to better themselves.
“And I think that’s a huge thing for them, wanting to better themselves to leave Celtic on loan to come to us.
“Hopefully they can get game time, and then at the same time, they can add quality on the pitch.”
Brown’s words give a clear picture of the hunger both players have shown by leaving the Celtic setup to test themselves elsewhere. Bonnar, in particular, looks ready for the challenge and seems able to handle the demands of the senior game.
Ure might need a bit more time to settle, but with Brown in charge, he’ll get plenty of support and chances to grow. The former Celtic skipper has made it clear that players will be picked on merit, and that performances on the pitch will decide their game time.
From Celtic’s point of view, the hope is that regular football in the Championship helps the pair develop quicker and shows whether they’ve got what it takes to step up at Parkhead. And going by first impressions, both players are moving in the right direction.
