ON-LOAN Dunfermline winger Kai Kennedy has been named in the Scotland under-21 squad for next month's Euro 2023 qualifier with Denmark.

The 19-year-old, who joined from parent club Rangers for the season in July, was selected in Scot Gemmill's pool for the game at Tynecastle Park next month.

He is joined in the 23-man squad by two former Pars loanees - Crystal Palace's Scott Banks, and Lewis Mayo, a Rangers team-mate of Kennedy's, who is with Partick Thistle this term.

Kennedy made his debut for the under-21s in a 1-1 draw with Turkey earlier this month and, after Saturday's match with Inverness Caledonian Thistle, spoke of his aim to be involved in future squads.

He will now be in line to feature in Scotland's second game of Group I in Euro 2023 qualifying, in a game that will take place on Thursday October 7.

After Saturday's match, Kennedy said: "Every player wants to play for their national team, I enjoyed that week a lot and I just want to keep playing the way that I am and make the next couple of squads."

Meanwhile, Pars boss Peter Grant paid tribute to the backing his team received from the stands on Saturday.

The team were afforded a warm ovation at full-time, and plenty of encouragement throughout, during the scoreless draw, which delighted Grant.

"I've never had a problem with supporters. I understand their frustrations 100 per cent," he said.

"Everybody who's known me throughout my career, I've never ever criticised the supporters for anything. They pay their money, they deserve to voice their opinion good, bad or indifferent.

"I thought they were fantastic. We were down at Ayr last week and we got a lot of criticism. I deserved every single bit of it because we lose the game. I understand that's part of football.

"As I say, I'm here to try and desperately hear their voices singing a victory. I'm desperate to send them home with victories because they work hard, really hard, during the week for themselves to come to the games, and you want to send them home with victories and feeling good about their club.

"I think they saw the commitment of the players, and I say that to the players - that's what you're representing all the time. Forget your name on the back; it's your badge on your front you're representing every single time you play, and they're the people that's supporting you. You're trying to entertain them, you're trying to win games for them, and that's what we go out on the pitch for.

"I said if you do that, supporters respond to you. To a man, they did that today, and I was delighted with them. I can only thank them for that."

He added: "It's been a difficult four weeks, five weeks. I'm not one of these guys that kids you on and say I've not been feeling the pressure. Of course you do.

"Probably if I was younger I would've dealt with certain things differently in the respect of maybe thought you're not good at the job. I know the work we're putting in is the correct work.

If I'd thought for one moment I was cheating someone at any time, and I think, as I said to you before, thankfully Ross (McArthur) and Thomas (Meggle) see the work that's going in. They know the difficulties we've had.

"But I think you know me well enough now I never come out and tell you an excuse about somebody not being available, or why somebody's not available because, the bottom line is, I think I've got good enough players no matter what team I've got here to put on a performance.

"We've not done that often enough so the criticism that goes with that I deserve. I've no problem with that.

"I'd love them to be chanting the boys' name and being happy going with a victory. The support's been great; I've never had a problem with that at any time.

"Hopefully we're going in the right direction but we've got a helluva lot of work to do as I've always said."