A GOAL-DEN teenager is hoping to be a star of the future after landing a place on a national football squad.

Lucas Gardiner fought off competition from 200 hopefuls from all over the country to be selected for the under 14s Scotland Youth Football Association Development Squad.

The teenager, who lives in Newton Street, underwent three trails to be chosen and it is understood that he is the only player from Inverclyde to be selected.

Lucas, 13, a pupil at Notre Dame High School, said: "I'm over the moon to get in.

"It was a lot of hard work. I was up against more talented players than I'm used to.

"It's quite an achievement. It's a good opportunity."

(Image: Duncan Bryceland) The youngster who plays on the right wing, has been playing football since he was three years old.

He started playing with St Andrews Boys Club, Morton pro-youth and Morton in the community before playing with his current club Greenock High School Former Pupils (HSFP) a year ago.

Lucas said: "I train two nights a week, Mondays at Battery Park and Wednesday at St Columba's. So I do all my homework on a Tuesday."

It should be no surprise that Lucas's aim is to be a professional footballer.

He said: "I want to play for Celtic, that's my ultimate goal. I play right wing, my favourite player is Nicholas Kühn, he is a winger too."

Meantime, Lucas keeps fit by going walks with his mum and practising in the back garden as well as gym training nights with the club.

His selection will mean an extra night of training at the football centre in Toryglen, once a fortnight.

The youngster livers with his parents Stephen Gardiner, a civil engineer and mum Lynette McLaughlin, a primary school teacher.

He also has an older sister Hannah, 19, who is student at Aberdeen University.

Lynette, 41, said: "We are very proud of him, we go to all his games all over Scotland."

Stephen, 46, said: "We are really pleased. He's played since he was three and it's all his own hard work."

Lucas and his family would like to thank his coaches for their encouragement and support as well as the Scotland team for taking him on.

Coach David Montgomery of his club said his success was much deserved.

He told the Telegraph: "Lucas is a really hard-working boy who has put a lot into these trials and it's absolutely no surprise to us that he's made it this far.

"All the coaches here at GHS, as well as the squad are over the moon for him."