Olly Whyte has wasted no opportunity to impress. Whether that be with the Motherwell FC Academy, training with the first-team, or when he has been sent out on loan to gain valuable minutes.
His two loan spells over the last two seasons have turned out to be an unequivocal success. Now back fresh from gaining promotion with Stenhousemuir last season, Whyte is now shifting the focus back to Motherwell.
“It feels good to be getting back up to speed after the summer,” Olly Whyte said.
“The first couple of days of pre-season are always tough, and this year has been no different. But I think every player needs that at the start to get everyone motoring for the long season ahead.”
For Whyte, the off-season was four weeks where he continued to work behind-the-scenes as he wanted to hit the ground running in anticipation of a new manager coming in.
But 12 months ago the feeling was similar, and Whyte has just kept his head down as he tried to impress from the off.
“I’ve worked hard over the summer,” Whyte explained.
“It was the exact same last year as well before the previous manager arrived. You just want to come back in good shape and impress the new boss. But when you see the manager has worked in academies and with young players throughout his career, you feel like if you do the right things, you could get an opportunity. But there’s never an expectation from my side for that.
“I think everyone is trying to do a bit extra in these early stages to try and catch the manager’s eye. That’s natural, I suppose. But these first few weeks are crucial for me. First impressions are massive, and for me, whether I go out on loan or not is probably decided in these three/four weeks.
“Last year was another step up for me, and playing 47 games with Stenhousemuir has helped me build up massively.”
Two summers ago, Whyte had been on the fringes of first-team football for Motherwell. He was named on the bench for the first time as the Steelmen took on St Johnstone in December 2023 before keeping his place on the bench a few days later at Easter Road.
But the opportunity to play never presented itself, and by the time of summer 2024, game time was important. Joining Cowdenbeath on loan for the 2024/25 season, Whyte excelled. Playing 31 games, the youngster received the Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year, Supporters’ Player of the Year and The Coo Shed Podcast Player of the Year awards for his impressive campaign, which also saw Whyte earn a 12-month extension.
With last year being another resounding success, Whyte believes the two years he has spent away from Fir Park have helped him mature as a player and as a man.
“I think I’ve just grown up over the last two years,” he explained.
“The difference for me has been playing games that actually have huge importance; you play in front of a crowd every week who are so passionate about the team winning, and experiencing all of that every week is so beneficial for me. You’re in the changing room with men who have had successful playing careers and have advice and experience to pass on.
“A lot of people maybe haven’t been so lucky with loan moves, and I’ve been the opposite in that sense. I guess I just put it down to just giving my all every day. I’m always thinking that I want to be part of this team first and foremost when I’ve walked into a loan club and I just want to be part of the team. I wish I could offer more insight, but I honestly don’t know why they’ve been so good apart from that; just working hard, I suppose.
“When you got out on loan, you speak to the staff here about what we want the loan move to do for me, and when it came to Stenhousemuir, it was really straightforward and basic targets – just gain experience. A lot of things went right for me last season. Gary Naysmith was a brilliant manager for me and helped me so much by just putting his trust in me.
“They gave me a platform, and as a team we had such a good bond. We were against the odds to get promoted, but I think what we achieved probably tells a lot about the character and individuals within the squad. The day we got promoted was maybe the best day in my career so far, including all the celebrations afterwards.
“Some footballers can go their full career without winning promotion or lifting a trophy, and that day will stay with me for the rest of my life. It was so special, and I’m proud I played my part in the story.
“Guys like Gregor Buchanan and Ross Meechan were massive in driving the culture in the club. These guys help you understand what it means to play for Stenhousemuir, but you learn stuff about yourself also. The biggest learning for me was that I can actually score goals! Aside from that, the year did give me a lot of confidence in my own ability.
“As a player and a person, I’ve always been a quiet boy, but it’s brought me out of my shell a bit too.”
For young players, looking at the previous MFC Academy stars that have played for the first-team, forged careers or moved on to bigger clubs can be a motivation. Whyte believes the past success stories allow him to believe that if you work hard enough and take your chance, anything in football is possible.
“Everyone that’s come through here, Lennon [Miller] and Davie [Turnbull] for example, grasped their chance when it came,” Whyte stated.
“There’s no doubt that’s the big target, but I need to remain focused for now. It’s quite simple for me in that sense; I just need to keep my head down and work as hard as I can. The staff and players around me are so helpful. Stephen O’Donnell has been brilliant with me, and even last season, he would always stay up-to-date with everything going on at Stenhousemuir. The midfield guys are brilliant too. Oscar [Priestman] and Lukas [Fadinger] know what it takes.
“It’s a really good team environment because all the boys want to learn and grow together. Watching the Motherwell games last season, no team in Scotland was playing that way. But as a midfielder, having the ball is what you want, and it’s exciting. Part of my focus is learning that style and watching lots of clips closely.”
