‘I feel like I’m in my prime now’ – Liam Lindsay on his first Scotland call-up

There was first talk of him receiving an international call-up seven years ago. In 2017, he was a stalwart of Partick Thistle’s back line, making 42 appearances and scoring seven goals as the Jags finished in the top six of the SPL. The 21-year-old was the only player outside of Celtic and Aberdeen to be named in the Scottish Premiership Team of the Year in the 2016/17 season.

Liam’s impressive form earned him a £350,000 move to Barnsley in the English Championship that year, and he was linked with several Premier League clubs at the time. He was tipped to become the best Jags centre back to move down south since Alan Hansen signed for Liverpool in 1977.

But still, the Scotland call never came.

The Tykes suffered relegation in 2017/18 and talks of a call-up to the national side fizzled out. Liam was never even capped at youth or Under-21 level and could be forgiven for allowing himself to believe it might never happen.

Now, at the age of 28, Steve Clarke has given him his first international call-up. “It’s not that I’ve ever lost faith or anything like that,” Liam said.

“I just had to keep continuing what I was doing for my club. I’ve been playing consistently and been playing well for the last two years. I was just trying to get my best chance to get in the squad and thankfully it’s came.”

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The Glasgow-born central defender signed a permanent deal at Preston North End in 2021 after an initial loan spell from Stoke City where he played alongside Angus Gunn.

Now playing under Paul Heckingbottom at the EFL Championship side, Liam says he’s playing the best football of his career.

“I didn’t get going straight away,” he said. “But after a year, I started playing consistently. The last few years I feel I’ve got a lot of trust from the manager, the players. I feel like I’m at my prime now.”

He added: “Especially being a centre-back, I think you hit your prime a little bit later. I think I’ve got a lot of experience now. Obviously not internationally, but I’ve got a lot of experience domestically and I’ll be trying to lean on that.”

An injury crisis has led to Steve Clarke calling on a few new faces for October’s Nations League double header with Croatia and Portugal.

Aberdeen full-back Nicky Devlin and West Ham’s Andy Irving have also received maiden call-ups, while veteran goalkeeper Craig Gordan has been recalled after missing out on Euro 2024.

Liam, who played in the same school team as Scotland skipper and Liverpool full-back Andy Robertson at St Ninian’s High School in Giffnock, says he still has ambitions to play in the Premier League one day. “I just want to play as high as I can. I’m not putting any limitations on it or anything. 28 might seem old. But look at Ronaldo, he’s still playing at 40 or 39. No limitations. I want to play as high as I can. I always strive to be the best I can be.”

Football runs in Liam’s family – his father used to be on Celtic’s books as a youngster and his uncle is former St Mirren centre-forward Ricky Gillies. “I’ve obviously been to a few of Ricky’s games when he was at St Mirren,” he said. “I think that’s when I remember him most. I was only young. I was a ball boy a couple of times. He did make me want to be a footballer.”

“My dad’s also been massive in my journey,” he added. “He knows the game, and he’s played it. He’s obviously given me a lot of good advice through the years.”

Asked what it would mean to him to finally step onto the field as a Scotland player, the 28-year-old said: “It would mean the world. I’ve not been called up in any age group or anything, but I’ve never really lost hope. I’m just thankful and honoured that it’s come. If I do get to put on that jersey, I’ll just try take it in my stride, relish it.”