Newcastle United teenager Dylan Stephenson was still very much on cloud nine today in Riyadh after scoring his first senior goal in the 5-0 rout of Al-Hilal.
Stephenson had only played a few seconds of a friendly game against Atalanta before last night when Eddie Howe afforded him 13 minutes in the high profile Diriyah Season Cup match in Saudi Arabia. But if ever a young player grabbed his chance to impress in front of all the right people it was the kid from Blyth.
The youngster was signed from Blyth Spartans at the age of 14 and has never looked back since after scoring in the youth ranks and Under-21s. But last night was a huge opportunity for the Academy product and he took it with both hands.
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Stephenson told Chronicle Live from the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium: "I am absolutely buzzing with it, it is a really happy moment for me and my family. It's fair to say that when the goal went in I had a double take for a second or two.
"It was a massive buzz when I realised for three seconds and then I went from there. It's always a happy moment to be with the first-team, even coming off the bench would have been great, but this has been even better."
The 19-year-old has had some week with the first-team squad too and he didn't have much time to think about the trip. Stephenson added: "I was told just after Friday's training. "I was then on the plane with senior players and it felt surreal!
"The training has been hard but worthwhile. "It's always good to train in hot weather. It will make us fitter when we get back to England."
Stephenson will now return to United for the second half of the season with the Under-21 hotshot already having a list of interested clubs on his trail for a loan deal. By the same token, with cup games coming up he could also be close to the first-team squad again this month and in January.
The striker said: "I think both of those things (loan and pushing for senior minutes) to keep working hard and getting my head down. "If I work hard maybe I can get in one of the squads."
The trip will live forever in the memory for Stephenson with the youngster also collecting a winners medal. He joked: "That will be framed. After the game everybody congratulated me and that was really nice from all the staff. I was just taking it all in."
When asked if he might have a wander around Blyth with his medal, he quipped: "And the kit!"
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