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Derek Young has watched with pride as Findlay Marshall refused to walk away from his dream of breaking into the Aberdeen first team.
The 20-year-old midfielder has been rewarded with a new contract and will return to pre-season next week as part of Stephen Robinson’s squad at Pittodrie.
It represents a remarkable turnaround for a player who was told just last summer that he had no future at the club.
An impressive loan spell at Arbroath in the Championship, combined with a change of manager, proved enough to earn Marshall a second chance with the Dons.
Young coached the youngster through the Aberdeen Academy and at the Scottish Football Association’s performance school, giving him a unique insight into the player’s development.
The former Reds midfielder said: “Marsh got told more or less before he went out on loan that he wasn’t going to be at Aberdeen when he came back.”
Young admitted he was stunned when then-manager Jimmy Thelin decided to let Marshall go, saying: “I was surprised, yeah, 100%.”
Robinson arrived at Aberdeen, assessed the squad with fresh eyes, and ultimately handed Marshall the long-term contract that has transformed his career trajectory.
Young said: “Stephen Robinson came in, was obviously impressed, wiped the slate clean and gave him this opportunity.”
Marshall scored 15 goals for Arbroath last season, a return that raised eyebrows given his earlier reputation as a defensive-minded player focused on tackling and winning possession.
Young laughed off suggestions that Marshall was always a natural goalscorer, revealing his coaches spent years working to bring an attacking dimension to his game.
“To be honest, it’s actually funny because Findlay was more of a defensive midfielder, get the ball and make tackles,” Young confirmed.
The coaches at Hazlehead and across Aberdeen’s academy persistently encouraged the youngster to lift his head, shoot, and play forward passes during training sessions.
Young said: “So to find out that he’s scoring 12, 13 goals this season and many assists and whatever else last season was brilliant.”
Marshall’s journey to this point included loan spells at Edinburgh City, Cove Rangers in League One, and finally Arbroath in the Championship, each step sharpening his abilities.
Young, who worked alongside Marshall for several years both at the club and at school, described him as “a really, really good kid” with strong community values.
He noted that Marshall’s Aberdeen roots run deep, adding: “He’s from a massive, massive Aberdeen family. It’s really, really good for him and really good for the family.”
Young also argued that Marshall offers a specific quality the current Aberdeen squad has been lacking in recent times.
“He’s got an engine,” Young insisted. “He can get into the box. He’s a good kid with a good head on his shoulders and he just wants to improve.”
Young concluded that Marshall’s versatility adds further value, suggesting he could operate anywhere from a holding role to a more advanced position as a number eight or ten.
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