BY ALAN TEMPLE – @CCP_Sport
PARTICK THISTLE new boy Jamie Sneddon insists he has enjoyed the perfect apprenticeship by coming through the ranks at Hearts before embracing the rough and tumble of senior football with Cowdenbeath.
The 19-year-old goalkeeper has penned a two-year deal with the Jags after impressing for the Blue Brazil last season, despite the Fifers finishing bottom of League 2.
Indeed, the young shot-stopper was the hero as Cowden narrowly preserved their SPFL status, saving the decisive penalty kick from Paul Woods in the playoff final shootout against East Kilbride.
As well as making 34 appearances for Cowdenbeath in the last three years, Sneddon also boasts fine pedigree in youth football, having been on the books of Hearts as a schoolboy before leaving in search of first-team football.
And he hopes to use all of those experiences as he prepares to battle Tomas Cerny for the gloves at Firhill.
“It was great to get experience with Cowdenbeath,” said Sneddon. “It wasn’t a great time for the club but good for me to get games. It was a great experience for me to be playing at that level at such a young age.
“I came through the Hearts academy, from 11 through to 17, and then I joined Cowden from there. “I learned a lot at Hearts growing up and then saw a different side of it at Cowden, lower in the leagues.
“You can be full-time all you want but if you’re just playing under-20s then it’s much different to first-team. So, it’s great to have played all those games already and now I’m looking to get the full-time football on top of that.”
Sneddon had been on the radar of several of Scottish football’s big guns after excelling at Central Park, even training with Hibs in December as they considered a swoop for the stopper.
But after a similar stint at Thistle, he had no qualms about the move to Maryhill.
“I was on trial at Partick in January when my contract was up at Cowden and I really enjoyed it,” Sneddon told Jagszone. “Then they came back in for me and I was delighted to get it over the line and get everything sorted.”
