AIDAN Fitzpatrick was born and raised in Partick so perhaps it was in inevitable when he left school at the age of 16 that his education should continue at Firhill. The teenage forward, rated by Thistle legend and team-mate Kris Doolan as one of the most exciting players ever to come out of the club’s academy, isn’t just the Maryhill side’s first top team scorer born in the 2000s; at this moment in time he is also the club’s 2018-19 top scorer with three goals.

Presented yesterday with the Irn Bru Golden Balls award to mark his two-goal, one-assist performance on his full debut in the Irn Bru Cup against Stranraer, the talented teenager reflected on his coming of age at the club he has been affiliated to ever since being noticed starring as a P7 in the St Peters Primary School team. But it isn’t just lower division opponents that he has been turning it on against; he climbed off the bench a few seasons back to get a smart assist in an Andre Mbuyi Mutombo’s equalising goal against Premiership champions Celtic.

“It was my P7 teacher’s dad, [former director] Ronnie Gilfillan, he had something to do with the academy, so it all started from there,” said Fitzpatrick. “I was playing for my school team and she obviously said to her dad, and he got me in for a trial. That was St Peters Primary School in Partick so just down the road and I have been here ever since.

“It was weird to be out there playing against Celtic,” he added. “Ever since Under 12s I have been out there hoping that I could do it and finally I was. It was weird watching it back on the television afterwards. And it is great to hear Kris Doolan, one of the Thistle legends, saying stuff like that about you, it just gives me more confidence to push on and keep going the way that the season has started for me.

“I didn’t really like school and I wasn’t the smartest either, so football was really always going to be my only hope! I’ve never thought about doing another job or anything like that, football is my only pathway. Luckily, I have got that chance now and I can go and push on. The manager has been great, both him and Scotty Paterson, I speak to them quite a lot because I have known them a bit since I have been young. That makes it easier for me, coming in training with the first team every day. Obviously being here seven years, Thistle has become a huge part of me.”

While Fitzpatrick has played Under-17 football for Scotland, he won’t be called into action for his country next week but could come into consideration for a new Under-18 age band – alongside prospects such as Harry Cochrane and Anthony MacDonald of Hearts. His priority, though, is more first team football with Partick – starting this Saturday against Morton. “If something like that came up I would obviously be happy but I have to focus on getting games here,” he said. “It is a very hard league, the first goal in every game is vital. If I can get that chance to play I will do the best for the team that I can and hopefully we can go and push for the title.”