Youngster Kieran Offord wants to secure a place in St Mirren's starting XI after putting pen to paper on a two-year contract extension.
The talented striker, who turned 18 yesterday, featured earlier in the season against Celtic and Rangers when the Buddies were short in numbers after a coronavirus outbreak.
Aside from those impressive performances against the Old Firm, Offord has been in fine form for Lowland League side East Stirlingshire where he's bagged nine goals in just 12 appearances.
The Saints Academy graduate has also made his debut for Scotland's Under-19 side this season, and now he's hoping to impress Saints boss Stephen Robinson enough to force his way into his first team plans for next season.
Offord told stmirren.com: "I feel like I'm ready now for the challenge to push on.
"I was involved in the games against Celtic and Rangers before Christmas and I've been out on loan as well. I've been working hard to try and get to the level I want and that's the Premiership.
"The loan has been very beneficial. I've been playing against men week in, week out and I've been scoring goals. It's helped prepare for training with the first team and hopefully it can help me playing with the first team.
"I've been training with the first team a lot more and there has been more opportunity for me. It's a lot more physically demanding and fitness wise I feel like I'm pushing myself to the limits and getting better and better.
"The manager has said that he feels if I work hard then there is an opportunity for me to impress him and if I do well enough I'll be given a chance."
Robinson stated when he joined the Saints he hopes to promote more youngsters into the first team, when former boss Jim Goodwin was happier to send several out on loan.
He feels Offord is a prime example of a young talent the club have developed that should be given an opportunity to prove himself in the first team.
Robinson said: "Kieran's been a real bright spark since I've come to the club.
"I've involved a number of youth team players since I arrived at the club and he was one that really caught my eye.
"There has been a lot of interest in Kieran from clubs in Scotland and England and I felt it was important that we got him tied down to a longer term deal.
"We want to create an identity and a pathway for young players at our club. Kieran sees the pathway that we are trying to create here and the hard work for him starts now."
