Aberdeen teen star Fletcher Boyd has been hailed by interim boss Peter Leven for producing a “fairytale” scoring debut.
The 16-year-old attacker came off the bench to net in injury time as Aberdeen destroyed Hibernian 4-0 at Easter Road.
It completed a sensational three days for Boyd who won the Club Academy Scotland under-18 league title on Friday with a 2-1 win against Rangers.
Within 72 hours the Scotland under-16 international was in dreamland again when netting on his debut.
Of the teenager’s debut, Leven said “Wow, he will never forget that.”
Boyd became Aberdeen’s youngest ever goal-scorer.
Leven said he allowed the teen time to celebrate the league title win on Friday before telling him he was named in the squad.
For Leven, netting in a debut to remember was reward for the teen’s sensational season with the under-18s.
Leven said: “Just to get his debut is amazing but to score… wow, he will never forget that.
“The fans were unbelievable and for them to sing ‘Fletcher Boyd, he’s one of our own’ is a fairytale for him.
“Fletcher has been brilliant this season for the under-18s and they won the league the other day.
“He has contributed to more than 30 goals in the 18s and has just turned 16.”
Boyd’s breakthrough can be an inspiration
Boyd and the under-18s secured the league title just a week after narrowly losing the SFA Youth Cup final to Rangers 2-1 at Hampden.
Leven insists the dream debut of Boyd should act as inspiration to the other emerging young stars at the club.
He said: “It 100% shows if you are good enough you are old enough.
“There’s a pathway at this club as the academy has done amazing this year.
“It hopefully shows the other boys there is a pathway.
“I told Fletcher on Saturday he would be in the squad.
“We obviously left him after Friday’s result and let him celebrate with his team-mates a little bit.
“Then we told him he was in the squad.
“Then I pulled him before we left that he is on the bench.”
‘We are a top team’ says Leven
Teen Boyd added icing on the cake with the late goal.
Boyd grew up in Portsoy, which also produced Aberdeen legend Eoin Jess.
Teen Boyd then attended the SFA Performance School at Hazlehead Academy in Aberdeen.
The Dons are now seven games unbeaten under the interim guidance of first team coach Leven.
They have also secured five successive clean sheets and are in pole position to finish best of the rest in the bottom six.
Elfsborg boss Jimmy Thelin will take over the managerial role on June 3 having agreed a three-year deal to lead the Dons.
Leven will be an assistant first team coach under the Swede next season and beyond.
He said: “That opening 20 minutes annoyed me a little bit as we were dragged all over and we started following them into spaces we didn’t want to go.
“They are good players but we need a bit more discipline.
“But when we are on it and pass the ball and move it at speed we are a top team and showed that again today.
“I’m delighted with the clean sheet again.
“The last two games we won 1-0, 1-0 and should have scored more.
“Today we did that.”
‘Embarrassing’ result for Hibs boss
The Hibs supporters booed their team off the park at half-time and full-time as they were blown away by the Dons.
Hibs boss Nick Montgomery said he was “embarrassed” at the result.
He said: “The expectation on this club and the pressure from the fans is normal.
“Moving forward we need players who can accept that pressure and expectation.
“I understand their frustration. It was an embarrassing result for us at home.”
