THE list of young footballers tossed aside (often unfairly) by Scotland’s top clubs would be long enough to fill the Library of Alexandria. Twice.
Hoping to avoid that fate is Queen’s Park’s latest diamond unearthed in the rough, who appears to have such fine sparkle to him that it wouldn’t be a surprise to find him at the centre of diplomatic spat one day.
Aaron Healy spent his teenage years at Celtic alongside the likes of Karamoko Dembele before a stint at St Mirren threatened to derail his entire career. Suddenly clubless and his love for the game fading, he found himself down in Scotland’s non-leagues at Arthurlie, heading to such far-off lands as Shotts and Irvine.
But the move was just what he needed - and so was the motivation to avoid becoming just another talented player lost from the game.
“A lot of boys are not about any more,” the 20-year-old said when asked about his determination to get back to the professional game. “That gives you more motivation, especially when looking back at the boys I was with.
“To be able to say I made it gives me more motivation.”
Healy, who worked part time in schools during his ‘Lie spell, added: “That gave me more motivation as well. If I gave myself a good opportunity, I could get back to full time. But my goal was to be a footballer.”
Reinvigorated by the Arthurlie move, the winger’s obvious qualities soon became clear. Called a “throwback” by his new manager Owen Coyle, he could so easily be a carbon-copy of any one of the thrilling, if enigmatic, wingers Scotland has produced over the years; and that’s to his credit.
His form with the ‘Lie was enough to convince Coyle to offer him a professional lifeline at the Premiership-chasing Spiders, but he remains indebted to the Barrhead club.
“I was Pro Youth my whole life, but I took a step back from it and went to Arthurlie,” he said of his time in the sixth tier. “I was just enjoying my football again and grateful for that.
“I just had to enjoy my football and Arthurlie offered that. I can’t speak highly enough of them.
“I had offers but I was enjoying my football, so stayed at Arthurlie and waited for the move to come about. It’s working out for me.”
When asked if he always wanted to come back to the professional game, Healy said: “It wasn’t something at the start I was looking for. But as it went on I knew it could happen as my confidence was growing. Here I am at Queen’s.”
And Queen’s appear happy to have him. In his first start for the club on Saturday, he scored his first senior goal, helping the Spiders to a 4-1 canter away to Hamilton.
Healy added: “It is a big step. But the boys have been brilliant with me. I can’t fault anyone.
“He [Coyle] is brilliant to work with. He’s so positive around the boys and wants to get the best out of me.
“It’s an exciting time to be a Queen’s Park player.”
Until Saturday, it had increasingly looked like an exciting time to be a Hamilton player, too.
But that loss - their first in five - was most disappointing by the whimper with which it occurred, and Scott Martin agreed with his manager’s assessment in the aftermath.
“The disappointment is the manner of the defeat,” the midfielder said. “We had put a good run together and felt we had taken a lot of steps forward.
“The preparation was good and even though we had a game in midweek, that’s not an excuse.
“Everyone was buzzing around the changing room and looking forward to the game.
“Big Dylan [McGowan] coming off didn’t help us but we should be clever and wise enough to deal with situations like that.”
Martin added: “It’s going to hurt for a couple of days but we need to put it to bed quickly because Friday [when Hamilton face relegation rivals Arbroath] is absolutely massive for us.”
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