Scotland manager Steve Clarke has named his first squad for June’s Euro 2020 qualifiers with Cyprus and Belgium.
Cyprus visit Hampden on 8 June before the Scots travel to take on Belgium three days later.
Hibs’ on-loan striker Marc Mcnulty retains his place whilst five of the selections are uncapped.
Kilmarnock defenders Stuart Findlay, Greg Taylor and forward Eamonn Brophy worked under Clarke at Rugby Par whilst Livingston goalkeeper Liam Kelly and Aberdeen defender Michael Devlin are also included for the first time.
John Fleck, has a prior commitment and also said that young midfielder David Turnbull of Motherwell and Aberdeen’s Lewis Ferguson were unlucky to miss out.
Clarke told BBC Scotland “People will probably think, ‘he’s just picking Kilmarnock players for the sake of it’. It’s not true.
“All the boys deserve to be there. Stephen O’Donnell is an established player at right-back – seven caps. Stuart Findlay was in the last squad and has had a great season.
“It was a case of promoting Greg up from the very good performances he has had for Scotland Under-21s. Up front I have a lot of injury problems and Eamonn was an obvious choice for me.”
The Scotland squad
Goalkeepers: Scott Bain (Celtic), Liam Kelly (Livingston), David Marshall (Hull City), Jon McLaughlin (Sunderland)
Defenders: Michael Devlin (Aberdeen), Stuart Findlay (Kilmarnock), Scott McKenna (Aberdeen), Charlie Mulgrew (Blackburn Rovers), Stephen O’Donnell (Kilmarnock), Liam Palmer (Sheffield Wednesday), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool), John Souttar (Heart of Midlothian), Greg Taylor (Kilmarnock)
Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Southampton), Tom Cairney (Fulham), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Callum McGregor (Celtic), Kenny McLean (Norwich City), Scott McTominay (Manchester United), Graeme Shinnie (Aberdeen)
Forwards: Eamonn Brophy (Kilmarnock), Oliver Burke (Celtic, on loan from West Brom), James Forrest (Celtic), Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth), Marc McNulty (Hibernian, on loan from Reading), Lewis Morgan (Sunderland, on loan from Celtic), Johnny Russell (Sporting Kansas City)
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
