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Inside Lennon Miller's stunning TWELVE year rise and what's next for Motherwell star according to man who knows
Lennon Miller might have become Scottish football’s hottest young property in the last 12 months. But James McFadden reckons the Motherwell prodigy has been a stand out for the last 12 YEARS.
Fir Park icon Faddy has watched the midfielder’s progress up close ever since he first started kicking a ball at Fun 4s - up against his own boy James junior from the age of six. And the former Scotland hero hasn’t been surprised in the slightest to see the 18-year-old make the transition to Premiership football look like child’s play.
McFadden reckons Miller is good enough to follow the Scottish talent trail abroad and showcase his talents in one of Europe’s big leagues like Lewis Ferguson and Aaron Hickey did before him. He only hopes the Steelmen starlet - whose maturity beyond his years has seen him handed the Fir Park captaincy - sticks around in Lanarkshire until at least the end of the season.
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Miller will line up for Scotland’s U19s as they open their Euro qualifying campaign in Wales this afternoon. And former Tartan Army favourite McFadden said: “I’ve seen Lennon play since he was a young boy. He’s played against my boy at Fun 4s!
“And they’ve been in the same team together in the Motherwell academy. He was always a special player and used to play a couple of years up. Nothing fazed him. I’ve been well aware of him for years. I’m not surprised by the impact he’s had.
“He’s always had the attributes to succeed but he’s also always had the temperament. Top player, top temperament and a top person who deserves everything he’s got so far. It’s a real statement to give an 18-year-old the armband but I don’t think too many people - players or fans - are surprised.
"He’s Motherwell-made. It’s a joy to watch such a young player with so much maturity. The consistency levels are quite something. He’s been a stand-out player ever since I saw him at the age of five or six. He won’t get carried away. He never has. Lennon won’t be sitting there thinking: This is great, I’ve cracked it. He’s highly ambitious and will continue to get better.”
Miller’s big breakthrough came when he was handed a Premiership debut against Rangers at Ibrox aged just 16 in December 2022. But it was last season, when he became a regular under Stuart Kettlewell, that the wider football world started to take notice.
Record Sport revealed last week that Southampton were among a pack keeping a close eye on Miller’s progress. But when it comes time to fly the Fir Park nest, McFadden would love to see him try his luck abroad.
He said: “You look at Aaron Hickey, Lewis Ferguson the high profile ones who’ve done really well for going away and experiencing a different way of life, different culture, style of football. I’d like to see him go abroad. But that’s just watching him as a fan looking at him.
“I’d like to see him go and do well in one of the big leagues abroad. He’ll know exactly what he wants to do and he won’t be short of offers. Whatever happens, he will leave Motherwell and go onto a big club at some point.
“I know that him and his family know he has to go to a place where he can play and develop. He has to continue his development and go into an environment where he’s playing football. Where he goes? Who knows. It’s been a great start to the season.
“I’d love to see him finish the season and then go somewhere and develop and fulfil the enormous potential he has. I know that, in his mind, he’ll have a plan for exactly what he wants to do. He’s by no means arrogant, but he’s confident. You can see that by the way he goes about his business.”
