Mill United footballer signs Pro Youth contact with Hearts.

Jun 23 2011 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

A HAMILTON schoolboy has thanked local boys’ club Mill United for giving him a break that ended up with him signing for Hearts.

About a year after Mill United 2001s agreed to play the midfielder in their team – despite being a year younger – Brian Hendry (10) was spotted by a scout acting for Hearts.

And two-and-a-half years later St John’s Primary pupil Brian has signed a one-year Pro Youth contract with the Tynecastle club.

Dad Brian senior (41) is delighted with the progress, and revealed that the young midfielder knocked back a chance to join heroes Rangers.

He said: “Brian has been at Hearts for two-and-a-half years. He started at Mill United and was a 2002 player in their 2001 team, a scout from Hearts was watching him and the rest, as they say, is history.

“They took him in, nurtured him and he has now signed a one-year Pro Youth contract. It’s up to him now to prove he’s good enough.

“Hearts are very keen on him and his coach is absolutely delighted because Brian takes in what they’re telling him and actually does it on the park.

“I’m a coach at Mill United 2000s myself, so I’m delighted to hear that.

“He’s got the best of training and that’s great. He was a central midfielder at Mill United but Hearts use him as a right winger. He’s really fast and can run the legs off others.

“Brian has always been interested in football and really loves the game.

“I try to take him to as many amateur and junior games as I can, but he’s really a Rangers fan.

“Rangers wanted to come down and talk to him two years ago and I told him of the interest, but he made the decision himself that he didn’t want to go.

“People say players like Brian have a better chance if they stay away from the Old Firm, so I’m quite happy that he’s at Hearts.”

Brian added: “I took Brian to Mill United four years ago and he signed for Hearts in October 2008.

“He hasn’t forgotten about where he came from, however, and would like to thank his coaches at Mill United for taking him on and putting him in the team a year earlier, because that gave him his chance.”