Starrs in the making Dream Scotland debut for Coatbridge kid

Coatbridge youngster Cole Starrs is eyeing up a big future in the game after scoring a double on his Scotland debut.

The 15-year-old striker scored twice as Scotland under- 16s destroyed Qatar 7- 0 in the first game of the International Tournament before going on to sink England and Uruguay with 2-0 wins in Edinburgh.

The St Andrew’s High School pupil also won two penalties in the competition and had an assist in the final game against the South Americans.

Cole now hopes to progress through the youth ranks for the national side as well as securing a place in the next under-16 squad for a trip to Poland in September.

The youngster said: “I was really delighted with my goals – there isn’t a better feeling than scoring your first goal for your country. It was brilliant.

“As a team it was great for us. We got a lot of goals over the games but it was important to shut out the opposition as well. The game against England was a real highlight for me. I loved getting my goals but the England game was a real team effort. The coach Brian McLaughlin said to us that if he asked us to run ten yards we would have run 11.

“I hope I’ve showed enough to get a place in the squad for the trip to Poland. It was a great squad with all the boys fighting for each other and I want to be part of that again.”

Cole, who is on the books at Motherwell, is eyeing up a place in the under-20s by the end of the season.

“It’s just about progressing,” he told the Advertiser. “I have to keep pushing myself so I can hold down a place in the team.

“I hope that by the end of the year I can be training with the under-20s and have a chance with them.”

Strike Cole gets his first Scotland goal against Qatar

Plenty of spirit Cole Starrs was delighted with the bonding that went on in the Scotland squad

Auld Enemy Cole Starrs helped Scotland beat England under-16s