Bobby Wales is a die-hard Kilmarnock fan living every supporter’s dream.
The 17-year-old striker stays just a stone’s throw away from Rugby Park, and he can wander to the stadium in barely a few minutes.
The Scotland Under-18s cap signed a professional deal last year, and he managed to rack up 10 first team appearances – including consecutive starts at Tynecastle and Fir Park.
He admits he used to watch on from the stands dreaming of one day donning the blue and white, and he managed to realise that dream as he was named Rising Academy Star at the club’s award ceremony.
Speaking exclusively to the Kilmarnock Standard he said: “It was amazing to get the Rising Academy Star award, being a Killie fan makes it even better.
“I felt like I had a good season, getting some games with the first team was an amazing experience.
“It’s special coming through the ranks as a fan, last season was my first professional season so I knew I had to challenge myself.
“I’m big height wise for my age I guess, but I am still young and have plenty to learn, all the advice I have been given has been a lot of help.
“I used to sit and watch from the stands dreaming about playing for Killie.
“My favourite player was Alexei Eremenko, but I had Rory McKenzie and Jordan Jones on the back of my tops too so to play with them was surreal.
“They have been amazing with me, a great help, when I was growing up I wanted to be a winger so watching Jones was a big part of my experience.
“Rory has been amazing over the years for this club, I really look up to him.”
He added: “All of my family are local and Killie fans, I can actually see the stadium from my house.
“It’s great having my family coming to games to watch me, and staying so close is handy as I never struggle for travel!
“I walk in to training every day, my mum and dad have been amazing, they have done everything for me over the years and I can’t thank them enough.”
On his first start, which came at short notice due to an Innes Cameron injury, Wales said: “I wasn’t that nervous to be honest, what happened to Innes wasn’t good for him of course, but I got told five minutes before kick-off that I was starting.
“Two minutes later I was walking out in front of a packed Tynecastle, I didn’t even have the chance to get nervous.
“The week after I started at Motherwell and I knew in advance so I was a bit jittery, but that was more excitement than anything.”
And on boss Derek McInnes he added: “He has believed in me a lot, and I really appreciate that.
“He’s helped push me and give me advice on what I can do to improve, he says he knows what I can do so I need to believe him, and trust in myself.”
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