I'LL MAKE MARK IN CANADA

Feb 11 2007

SCOTS kid Mark Reynolds is aiming to play a starring role in this summer's Under-20s World Cup in Canada.

The Motherwell defender featured just once in Scotland's successful run to the final at the European Under-19s Championships last July.

But the 19-year-old has been in impressive form this season and has played in every game for Maurice Malpas' side in the last six months.

And after starting in Tuesday's Scotland Under-21s defeat against Germany Reynolds reckons he can be a key figure for his country.

He said: "I knew I was going over to the Europeans as a fringe player because the bosses hadn't seen the best of me.

"I understood I was going to make up the squad and any involvement was a bonus.

"They'll have watched a bit more of me now playing first-team football and I'll have a bigger shout of playing in the upcoming championships.

"The squad's in better shape now because even more of us have gone on to play first-team football since those finals.

"This has been a good season for me because through injuries and circumstances at the club I have been starting a lot sooner than I expected."

Reynolds and his Scotland team-mates found some tough lessons from their 2-0 hammering by the Germans.

He added: "Germany are a good side with a few experienced boys and we learned a lot as a team from this.

"They are physically strong, all top class athletes.

"It is a good indication of what we are going to face when we go to Canada."