With the first international break of the season upon us – and football continuing further down the divisions – we take stock of our loan players and their development through the first months of the season:
SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
After a productive loan spell at Raith Rovers in the second tier last season, where he scooped the club’s Young Player of the Year prize, Paul Nsio joined St. Mirren on the eve of the new campaign.
He made his debut for the Paisley outfit on the opening weekend of the season in an away win over Falkirk, impressing immediately with his drive and endeavour in the middle of the pitch.
His first goal for the side arrived in a frenetic 3-3 draw with Motherwell later in the same month, slamming home from the edge of the penalty area to begin St. Mirren’s comeback.
Ineligible for the team’s successive defeats to Rangers, he has otherwise played every available minute under Craig McLeish.
SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP
The club entered into a loan co-operation agreement with Queen’s Park ahead of the season, with Lewis Stewart, Aiden McCallion and Zebedee Lawson joining the southside outfit.
The trio have all featured under Sean Crighton despite a difficult start to the campaign.
Stewart, recipient of Alloa Athletic’s Player of the Year accolade last season, has made seven starts across the league and Premier Sports Cup.
McCallion, meanwhile, has started four times, while Lawson registered his first goal involvement on his debut for the club against Queen of the South.
Elsewhere, Calum Adamson has made a strong impression in his first month on loan at Raith Rovers under Dougie Imrie.
He made six successive starts for the Stark’s Park outfit before injury curtailed his involvement against Livingston last weekend.
Indeed, he recorded a hat-trick of assists in a recent home victory over Arbroath and, like Nsio before him last term, has become a fan favourite among the Raith Rovers supporters.
LEAGUE ONE
Kyle Glasgow and Max Cameron were the first to join Alloa Athletic after the club renewed their loan co-operation agreement with the Wasps ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
The former only celebrated his 16th birthday earlier this year but has wasted precious little time in impressing his loan club with a string of excellent performances.
He has found the back of the net four times already while recording an assist, with his form being rewarded by a first Scotland Under-21s call-up for the current set of international fixtures.
Meanwhile, Cameron, in his first taste of senior football, has featured ten times, while Aiden Crilly, who joined later on a co-operation loan, made his debut for the club against Airdrieonians last month.
The third tier is also the home of both Callum Burnside and Josh Gentles who will spend the campaign with John Rankin’s Airdrieonians.
Burnside has featured six times for the Lanarkshire outfit and announced himself prior to the international break with a brace in a 2-1 away victory over Peterhead.
He finished as Alloa Athletic’s top goalscorer last campaign and also registered an assist earlier this season against Queen of the South.
Gentles joined his Under-19s teammate later in the window and teed up his winning goal against Peterhead on his fourth appearance since arriving.
At East Kilbride, Alexander Smith has established himself as a regular in the side with six appearances in the first portion of the campaign.
He scored his first professional goal in a 3-0 win over Cove Rangers in August when he received a short corner before dispatching low beyond the goalkeeper.
Zander Hutton, meanwhile, made the loan switch to Queen of the South earlier this week and could make his debut against Cove Rangers this weekend.
LEAGUE TWO
The Academy’s sole representative in League Two is defender Jack Wyllie who has played every available league minute for the Loons.
The 19-year-old has even managed to chalk up an assist, in a 1-1 draw away to Edinburgh City, when he took off on a dribble from inside his own half before teeing up Scott Shepherd.
LOWLAND LEAGUE
Oliver Hynd has already made 12 appearances for Cumbernauld Colts across the league and KDM Evolution Trophy.
He has been a vital piece of the side’s defence as they sit in midtable in the Lowland League West.
Across in the Lowland League East, meanwhile, Cormac Christie will spend the season with Brechin City where he netted his first goal prior to the international break with a strike in a 3-0 win over Dunipace.
The forward spent time last campaign with Forfar Athletic where injury unfortunately curtailed his involvement, but he has featured six times already for the Glebe Park outfit who are nestled in third place in the division.
Elsewhere, Lyle Wark joined Auchinleck Talbot on a season-long loan as the Ayrshire side seek promotion this term.
Rangers Academy is proudly sponsored by Carrick Packaging
