Pirtek’s very own Grant Petrie, named under 20’s coach for Cowdenbeath FC

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The departure of Billy Brown isn’t the only significant managerial change that has been made at Cowdenbeath this week, with the Fife club’s under-20s also making a change of direction.

Dean Ewing has stepped down from managing that side and has been replaced by Grant Petrie of the Fife Elite Academy.

Petrie, who recently completed his Uefa A licence, was a youth coach at Dunfermline before the creation of the academy and has helped develop the likes of Scotland under-21 international Ryan Williamson, Celtic’s P J Crossan and Dundee’s Lewis Spence.

The 45-year-old will combine his role with Fife Elite’s under-17s and Cowdenbeath’s under-20s, with the aim of producing first team players for the new Central Park boss.

“I’m going to try to set standards in the under-20s and create an environment where the boys are able to learn,” Petrie told Courier Sport.

“I’ve learned from Stephen Wright, who sets very high standards, and John Potter who is a brilliant manager of people.

“What an opportunity there is for young players here.

“Cowdenbeath are where they are in League Two, a new manager will be coming in and this has to be an opportunity to get in that first team and make a difference.

“I want to make it about Fife boys.

“I’ve worked with a lot of young players, like Ryan Williamson and Lewis Spence, who have had success.

“They have had an environment where they’ve not been frightened to make mistakes.

“This has to be the future for Cowdenbeath.

“We’re not making a secret of the fact that if you do well at Cowdenbeath it can be a platform for bigger things.

“We’re looking for players who will make Cowdenbeath successful and have successful careers themselves.”

Petrie believes his dual roles will be to the benefit of the Blue Brazil.

He added: “At the Elite Academy we’ve got three young guys who have already played with Cowdenbeath under-20s this year – Ronan McMurchie, Paul Brown and Josh McConville.

“If we can get more like them in the team, that’s the aim.

“I’m still taking the Fife Elite under-17s so there’s a pathway there. Guys who are doing well there can then play at Cowdenbeath under-20s and see if they can make the next step up.

“There shouldn’t be a kid in Fife I don’t know about.”