We may have been unable to get three points at Cappielow on Christmas Eve but the match was at least notable for one young man as New Abbey teenager Owen Bell made his competitive first team bow a month before his 18th birthday. Young Owen got half an hour in central midfield partnering Kyle Jacobs as Queens chased the game, showing the trust his manager has in him already.

It has been agreed that Jack Brannan, who has been on loan to Gretna 2008 for the first half of the season, will depart the club when his present loan spell ends on January 1st. He goes with the best wishes of everyone at the club. Jack was one of the four young players whose apprenticeship was being kindly funded by the Barflies. Owen Bell will therefore be taking up the vacant space in the Barflies apprenticeship programme. We are also delighted to announce that Owen has agreed an extension to his present contract, taking him through to the end of next season (May 2018).