As a new year of thrilling action bursts into life, our top team of reporters pinpoint the youngsters they believe can make a name for themselves...

Andy Webster, Hearts

HEARTS boss Craig Levein found it difficult to contain his delight at securing the services of teenage centre half Andy Webster last season.

The former Arbroath stopper had been attracting plenty of interest from both north and south of the border after impressing in the lower leagues for the Gayfield outfit.

Liverpool were on his trail and he also travelled to London for a trial with Premiership side Charlton Athletic where Alan Curbishley was keen to sign him.

Dundee United boss Alex Smith thought he was favourite to land the strapping defender but the promise of first-team involvement at Tynecastle saw Webster plump for maroon instead of tangerine and a five-year contract with Hearts.

His decision was soon rewarded, Webster being handed his debut by Levein just days before his 18th birthday - against Celtic at Parkhead in April this year.

He went on to make a handful of top-team starts, including the goalless derby at Easter Road as the Jambos just failed to clinch a place in the UEFA Cup.

This season, Webster has seen himself become something of a regular, making 15 consecutive appearances in Levein’s starting XI - he scored his first goal for the club in the 1-1 draw against Dundee at Dens Park last month. His run of games was broken with his recent relegation to the bench for the visit of Kilmarnock to Tynecastle.

Despite the demotion, Levein still regards Webster as one of the game’s brightest prospects and the 19-year-old looks set for a key role in the coming weeks with Kevin McKenna set to head to the United States next month on international duty with Canada in the Gold Cup.

The talented Webster was surprisingly overlooked when Smith announced his most recent Scotland Under-21 squad but he surely won’t have to wait much longer for such recognition.

Under Levein’s guidance and the influence of captain Steven Pressley, there seems little doubt that the Dundee-born starlet has the ability to one day follow in his manager’s footsteps and pull on the famous dark blue Scotland jersey.

Taken from the Scotsman