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LEWIS Kidd reckons a sparkling display against Barcelona helped convince him he had a bright future as a right-back.
The 21-year-old is currently impressing for Falkirk on the right side of defence and is desperate to prove he should hang on to his starting place with a victory over Ayr United in tonight’s IRN-BRU Cup tie.
The summer signing from Queen of the South is a versatile performer, having begun his career as a midfielder at Celtic.
However, the youngster admits he now feels most comfortable at full-back and has a man-of-the-match outing against Barca three years ago to thank for the switch.
Celtic lost that Youth Champions League tie 2-1 at Cappielow but Kidd earned plaudits for the way he helped to shackle Munir El Haddadi, who scored 11 times as the Catalan giants won the tournament and who began this season in the Barca first-team.
Kidd said: “It was in my last year at Celtic that I moved to right-back.
“I had been playing centre mid for four years and I got told one day in training by Stevie Frail to go and try right-back.
“I happened to do well in the first game I played there – against Barcelona in the Champions League.
“I played there, did well and before I knew it I was a right-back!
“The guy I was playing against ended up starting in the Barcelona first-team at the start of the season and scored a goal as well.
TEST
“It was a good test and I did well, and that’s been me ever since. And I enjoy it.
“I used to see being so versatile as a good thing but sometimes it’s a case of ‘we’ll put him there for the sake of it’.
“But I probably feel most comfortable at right-back now because recently I’ve played there most.”
Kidd returns to familiar territory tonight as Falkirk travel to Somerset Park, a ground he graced with Scotland under-17s and under-19s earlier in his career.
Having got their Championship campaign back on track with four wins and a draw following a sticky start, Falkirk will be seeking to further their progress in a cup they have won on four occasions.
But Kidd admits they were handed a warning in defeating Ayr 2-0 at home in the league less than a fortnight ago.
He added: “They came to us and passed the ball about well. We weren’t at it but we still got the result.
“We know it will be tough but we’re confident in what we can do and we know if we play to our best we can get the result.”
