In the midst of this year’s cup final season, it’s easy to be emotionally impacted by the loss of a potential trophy. An example of a few teams who have been impacted by this is the four teams who, in the semi-finals, had the SSFA Senior Shield (Scottish Schools' Cup) postponed. 

In January 2020, four teams felt the overwhelming joy of qualifying for the last four of this cup tournament. Bearsden Academy (Bearsden), St John’s HS (Dundee), St Ninian’s HS (Giffnock) and Woodmill HS (Fife) all remained. However, players will be left low as their potential Scottish cup-winning season is nipped in the bud prematurely.

All football at every level in Scotland has been cancelled for the foreseeable by the Scottish Government as an effective and important method of slowing the spread of Covid-19.

This decision was entirely correct and the government guidelines towards cup competitions are hardly at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

Yet for those involved, the cancelled cup competitions will hold personal importance. Much like the four schools mentioned earlier, many boys and girls across Scotland have had cup finals or against-the-odds cup runs cancelled this season so it is important to explore the potential emotions brought by this and the best way forward for youth players in Scotland.

Speaking to Bearden Academy forward, Robbie Fisher-Gibb, he said he felt that he had: "every confidence in our team to win at least the treble [including the Scottish Cup) – we had such a strong squad and lots of strength in depth, and this showed when we beat some quality sides with only 11 or 12 men.”

This season for Robbie is something he will remember, despite unfortunately losing the opportunity to win many trophies.

Robbie did feel emotionally affected by the potential this season could’ve had as he said: "It really is a sore one to take due to the fact I think we could’ve gone all the way, but in the time that we played as a team we only dropped two points from however many games.

"In a way, that makes it even more difficult to take. Teams like this one come few and far between."

Asked how he will move forward Robbie said: ‘The best thing I can do personally is to forget about it. Nothing is to say that we can't do the same next year, as our year (in school) has been very successful when it comes to winning trophies.

"It will be a shock to the system and it’ll be hard to get my head around but hopefully we can somewhat replicate it when the season begins”.

Just like many young players, Robbie is focusing on getting himself ready for next season, to keep fit he “runs 5K three times a week and completes weight training in order to come back fitter and stronger for the start of next season."

Training, exercising and practicing are the best ways to come back better when football is given the green light at a safer time.

It is clear that Robbie’s method of getting over this seasons abandoned competitions is to look with excitement to the future and hold hope and anticipation for what is to come in the next few years. This is something any young Scottish player should do, the cancellation of a season wont be the end of the world instead focus on achieving bigger and better things next season.