AN AYRSHIRE teenager enjoyed a "dream 24 hours" after making his professional debut for Rangers in their final Scottish Premiership game of the season.
Seventeen-year-old midfielder Aiden McCallion replaced Thelo Aasgaard in the 80th minute of the match against Falkirk on Saturday for his first senior team appearance.
Aiden McCallion (Image: Rangers FC)
Along with fellow Academy players Ashton Scally and Zebedee Lawson, McCallion, from Galston, helped the Gers see out a 5-2 victory over the Bairns to end a disappointing campaign on a high.
And the Auchenhowie graduate, who has been with the Ibrox club since the age of seven, could not hide his pride when he spoke to the press afterwards - having captained the Under-19s to CAS Elite League title success the previous day.
McCallion told the media: "It's probably been a dream 24 hours.
"Yesterday [Friday, May 15], lifting the league in the last minute we scored, and obviously captaining the boys to the league title was a real big thing for us this year.
"Then moving on to today [Saturday, May 16], obviously, it's a dream for me to play with Rangers."
He said he found out he would be in the squad while celebrating the league success.
He said: "We were celebrating and then David McCallum told me I'll be in the squad today.
"So then I was just kind of hoping that I get my chance."
He spent time around the team last season and credited that experience, despite injury setbacks.
He also praised his coach, Malky Thomson, who first coached him at age nine.
He added: "He just told us to go and work hard.
"He said 'you've probably earned it through training, so just go and work hard. Go and enjoy yourself on the pitch today'."
Rangers finished third in the Premiership, eight points behind Hearts, who were pipped at the post by Celtic on the last day of action.
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