IT'S lovely to see Richard Chaplow become Burnley's first ever England Under 21 international -- but he will have to leave them if he is to progress to the senior squad.

No disrespect to the level he plays at the moment, but if he stays in Division One he will diminish.

He needs to move up to Premiership level and he needs to do it quick -- but he has the ability to pull it off.

I recommended Chaplow for England in my role as a scout when I saw him earlier this season because he has something I've rarely seen in midfield players.

He has the engine to get into the box and split the forwards, not just five or six times but 10, 15 or even 20 times during a game.

He scores goals and has ability on the ball so it all adds up to massive potential.

But he'll only make the step up to full international level if he gets used to the type of opposition he will be playing against.

He's just turned 19 and by the end of the season I think a Premiership club needs to be taking a chance on him.

Look what it's done for Jonathan Stead at Blackburn, who has also come in and got an Under 21 cap.

It's very rare now that clubs will take a gamble on youngsters from a lower level.

After all, they usually have to pay a lot of money and because of the pressures of being a manager they go for the tried and tested, which is easier to do with the amount of foreign players in the game.

But it doesn't help anyone on an international level because lads need a chance to develop their game at the top.

Burnley is Richard Chaplow's local team and it's great for him to play for them but I think he'll only improve if he steps up a division.

It's also great for another 19-year-old, Paul Gallagher, to get his call-up to the full Scotland squad.

He has really grown in stature and is starting to believe in himself. In fact, the last time I saw him he had that touch of arrogance that says, 'yes, I'm good enough to show what I've got at this level'.

Paul has the confidence to express himself at a very difficult level and isn't finding it daunting.

I seem to remember James Beattie in the first couple of games he played for Blackburn. He seemed a bit daunted, surrounded by all those big names but Paul seems to have got over that very, very quickly

But international football is another step up for someone of Paul's age. You only have to look at Wayne Rooney and the way David Moyes keeps protecting him and telling England not to rely too much on such a young lad.

So let's not say, if Paul doesn't impress tonight, that he's not right for it because it's a one-off game.

He needs to establish himself in the Premier League first and keep taking it one step at a time.