It was the Theatre of Dreams for me and my oldest lad on Sunday and what a game it was.
Manchester United and Liverpool served up an FA Cup tie that was befitting of Old Trafford’s famous nickname. But seeing my boy watching with wonder as the 4-3 extra-time thriller played out did leave me concerned about the reality for Scottish football’s future. Carter is 12 and United daft. He’s been on at me for ages to take him to see the Red Devils in action and his first trip down the road to see them play at home certainly didn’t disappoint.
He’s been to Tynecastle and Somerset Park plenty of times but Old Trafford is another ball game entirely. He couldn’t stop talking about the match the whole drive home and was still jabbering on about Amad Diallo’s last-gasp winner when he got up for school on Monday morning. It’s the type of moment that fires the imagination and I know that’s how Carter will feel about it. He’s a decent player and has had plenty offers to sign for some big club sides already. That’s a decision we’ll have to make over the next few months.
But I just wonder if there’s still the same number of kids who’d have watched that game on Sunday and responded like he did. And definitely how I would have as a kid. As a youngster, you never saw me without a ball at my feet. As soon as the school bell went at the end of the day I’d be out the door and down the local park for a kickabout with my mates. On a Saturday, my mum would pack me off with a sandwich and we’d spend the entire day down there booting shots at each other.
The only way you’d know it was time to head home was when the street lights came on. I’d come back caked in mud but would be made to strip at the back door and then do a sprint through the house in my birthday suit before hopping in for a shower. But nowadays, you’re lucky if you ever drive past some kids playing headers and volleys by the swings. I fear we’re raising a generation who believe that in order to have a game, they need to have hired out an astro and be kitted out in matching strips.
Listen, I get it, times change. Parents are less likely to allow their kids out of their sight because of safety fears. And today’s youth have more things to occupy their attention. For example, my youngest boy Brady could have come down to Old Trafford with us but decided he’d rather go to a Pokemon competition! But I do worry that that will impact the number of players we’re able to produce.
During my playing days I remember looking at the crop being reared at Dundee United and being so impressed. You had Stuart Armstrong, Gary Mackay-Steven and Ryan Gauld all coming through together.

Hibs had a track record of producing players and there would always be the odd teenager breathing through at the Old Firm. But these days I look around and don’t see many exciting youngsters. Lennon Miller at Motherwell is a terrific talent while David Watson has a great chance of moving beyond Kilmarnock.
Beyond that, though, I’m not seeing much more and I fear it goes back to what I’ve just been talking about. And when you factor in the price of football these days - be it the £100 cost to hire out a 5G park for an hour or the exorbitant sums charged for boots and kit - then I worry about working class families being squeezed out. My drive back up the road from Manchester won’t have felt anywhere near as long as the trek back from Dingwall for the Hearts squad the day before.
It was a terrible result for Stevie Naismith’s side but with such a commanding lead over Killie in fourth, it shouldn’t be too costly. It will frustrate Naisy though as I’m sure he’d have been looking to build up some real momentum heading into that Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers next month. Now his side will have to spend the next fortnight stewing on their Staggies set-back, which was something I always hated about the international break.
There was a major positive for the Hearts boss to take from the weekend performance - although it wasn’t a display put in by one of his current crop. The news that Yan Dhanda is moving to Tynecastle this summer on a pre-contract has been met with a lukewarm response by some sections of the Gorgie faithful.
But he’ll have won over those doubters with his showing in County’s 2-1 win. He was central to everything they did well - and that will have Lawrence Shankland licking his lips ahead of next season. At times the skipper has had to do things all by himself this season. But Dhanda’s ability to deliver quality crosses is the stuff dreams are made of for a striker like Shanks.