Celtic starlet could be next in line for stardom as highly-rated youngster scoops prized club gong
The one blemish in Celtic's golden era has been the lack of academy graduates making the grade at Parkhead
James Forrest is the poster Bhoy for every aspiring youngster at Lennoxtown.
The one-club legend is now Celtic 's most decorated player after coming through the youth system and shooting to prominence in 2010.
Captain Callum McGregor could soon overtake Forrest's ever-growing trophy haul of 26 if he outlasts his fellow homegrown talent at Parkhead.
Then there's returning hero Kieran Tierney, who broke into the first-team under Ronny Deila and made the club a record-breaking £25million four years later.
Others like Stephen Welsh and Anthony Ralston have made up the numbers in recent years but the truth is, for all of Celtic's astonishing dominance, the one blemish in this golden era has been the lack of academy players emerging from the ranks.
Rising stars Rocco Vata, Ben Doak and Daniel Kelly were all given a taste of it before being lured by bigger bucks down south. So there is still a pathway.
But nothing satisfies supporters more than one of their own making the breakthrough. Kyle Ure could be the next in the academy conveyor belt to make the grade.
The teenage midfielder, 19, has already followed in role model McGregor's footsteps by skippering the Hoops to 2023 Scottish Youth Cup glory at Hampden in 2023.
Now, he's flourishing for the B team in the Lowland League and his impressive form saw him crowned Celtic's Young Player of the Year on Sunday night.
Humble Ure showed maturity beyond his years as he collected the prestigious gong at the Doubletree By Hilton Glasgow Central.
The Scotland Under-19s starlet said: "It's a great feeling obviously to be recognised for my performances and consistency throughout the year.
"It's a very pleasing award to get at the end of the season and I'd just like to take a moment to appreciate all my teammates as well. I couldn't have done it without them.
"Everybody in the team together makes me look better, and we all look out for each other, so it's an amazing award to get."
With six goals across the campaign, Ure will definitely be on Brendan Rodgers' radar, especially after recently extending his contract until June 2027.
Now dreaming of teaming up with McGregor, Forrest and KT, Ure admits his ultimate goal is to become the next success story from Lennoxtown.
He told Celtic TV: "It would be everything. Growing up, you want to be a proper football player. You want to be a first-team player. Now at this stage, you're not too far away.
"You train with them, you see the quality they've got and the intensity that they bring. You just need to try and get to that level and stay consistent for as many years as you can."
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