ATHLETIC centre back Sam Young has been hailed as proof that going on loan pays dividends as his boss lavished praise on he and his central defensive partner.

The 18-year-old made his first league start for the club in the recent Fife derby win over Raith Rovers, lining up at the back alongside Birmingham City loanee Tommy Fogarty, 20.

A product of the club's youth system, after signing for the Pars in January 2016, Young made his first team debut, as a 16-year-old, in an SPFL Trust Trophy tie with Celtic 'B' in November 2022.

He subsequently had loan spells with Cowdenbeath, East Stirlingshire and Gala Fairydean Rovers, and McPake believes they have benefitted his development.

Dunfermline Press:

"Sam I think is proof that the loan market's excellent, and decisions to put players on loan are for that reason," McPake explained.

"I don't know how many games he's had, but he's had a lot of football.

"He must've went out on loan at 16 to the Lowland League. He was at East Stirling, he's been at Cowdenbeath, Gala, so he's played a lot of football, while training, while developing.

"It's now that he can go in, compete and handle certain situations. Will it be that comfortable for him for his full career? No chance. He'll have the blips, he'll have the Sam Fisher bit from a couple of weeks ago, where your form just goes.

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"I've been delighted with Sam Young. He doesn't play like an 18-year-old and I genuinely do think it's down to him going out on loan.

Sam Young, pictured in action at Hamilton, made his first league start for the Pars against Raith Rovers.Sam Young, pictured in action at Hamilton, made his first league start for the Pars against Raith Rovers. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"He's a great example to the young players that it doesn't matter sometimes what level you go to. Just going out, getting football, having to play in teams where you need to win on a Saturday - for some it might be a win bonus, it's pride - other than development football, I think it's been great for Sam.

"What he can't do is get carried away, and I don't think he will. He's a great kid, with a great family, and he works really hard.

"It's simple really. Go out and play football, when you're training, work as hard as you can, and that's what happens. I think it's visible with how hard he's worked because he's turned into a big lad now. He was always tall but, just naturally, he was 16, he had just left school and it was his first time in full-time football, but he's worked hard at his own body, at his own game, and he's listened and learned.

"He's had a chance and he needs to keep working hard to stay in the squads."

This season, Dunfermline have loaned Jake Sutherland to Cowdenbeath, Liam Hoggan to Gala Fairydean Rovers, and, most recently, Freddie Rowe to St Andrews United.

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After Hoggan's move was completed last month, McPake noted: "They train in a different environment, they train to get in a team where it's kind of an even level, where if they're training well at that club, they get to play.

"Sometimes it doesn't work out. I've had two great examples of players, in my opinion, and it's no disrespect to the club that they went to, that they've went to a club, not played, but come back better for it. Andrew Tod at this club, and Lyall Cameron, at a previous club.

"Andrew went to Elgin. It didn't quite work out for him but, again, that's fine. The kid went, he worked really hard, did everything he could, he came back and was excellent for us, every single day.

"He's done that and he's at the point now, at this minute, I wouldn't put him out on loan because he's at a level where he can impact our games. Down the line, we assess that. With Lyall, we had the same. Lyall went to Peterhead, couldn't get a game, and look at that boy now.

"Loans are just that. You give a club a loan of your play to, selfishly, develop them at first team level. That's happening."