FOOTBALL starlet Declan Glass made his Dundee United debut at the weekend. . . just a few months after leaving high school.

The Tranent ace made a cameo appearance in the Terrors’ 2-0 Championship win at Dumbarton on Saturday, coming on for Billy King in injury time.

And the 17-year-old former Ross High School pupil said he was “absolutely delighted” to have made his first team debut, even though he didn’t touch the ball.

It came just days after the club sacked manager Ray McKinnon, with caretaker boss Laurie Ellis the man to hand Glass his first-team bow.

The attacking midfielder, of Tranent’s Fullarton Bank, told Courier Sport: “I found out I was in the squad on the Friday morning and I didn’t expect it at all. I trained with the first team on Monday and Tuesday and enjoyed it but I was still shocked when I was in the squad.”

And he said it was “a pretty surreal feeling” when Ellis gave him the nod to get ready as the game entered its final seconds.

“I still can’t really believe it’s happened,” he said.

“It was just an overwhelming feeling to even be involved and I’m incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity at 17 to be involved in a first-team squad, never mind to actually come on the pitch.”

And the teenager was delighted to have dad Stuart and girlfriend Amber in the stands for the occasion.

Glass, a former pupil of St Martin’s RC Primary School, Tranent, has been involved with the Tannadice club’s academy since 2014, playing for the under-17s and under-20s.

And while he’s had a taste of the first team, the teenager said his focus was on playing regularly for the under-20s.

He added: “I’m just looking to try and nail down a regular starting place in the under-20s to try and get as much game time as possible.” 

Paul Reynolds, headteacher at Ross High School, was thrilled to see Glass make such quick progress.

He told Courier Sport: “I have been involved in coaching and following school football for years and there is no doubt that Declan stood out as being particularly talented. 

“He played for Ross High for many years and helped bring home many trophies in his time here.

“We are delighted that he is continuing this success at Dundee United and wish him all the very best in the rest of his career.

“We’ll be following with interest and will be behind him all the way.”

His former headteacher also stressed that Glass left school with “a good set of qualifications” and is a “clever lad” as well as a talented footballer.