YOUTH team star Matty O'Neill made his Burnley debut against Watford on Saturday and after delighting the home fans with his short appearance he admitted: "I loved it.

"Playing for the first team means everything to me, it is what I have been waiting for all my life."

The 19-year-old came on with 14 minutes left and his side 6-4 down but he showed no nerves with a couple of runs and a good cross that was headed against a post.

"I did not know I would be on the bench until about an hour before the game," he said. "I was praying to get on and then I got called over and told I was going on, it was brilliant.

"The manager told me to go on and get some crosses in and try and get some long throws on to Gareth's head."

The fans, who have seen precious few young players come through the ranks in the last few years, immediately took to him and he is now hoping that he will be involved in some way against Preston tomorrow night.

"My brother Joe is at Preston so it would be really good to be involved again," he said.

But he was as amazed by the events of Saturday afternoon as anyone and it is a safe bet that no other Burnley player has come on for his debut with his side trailing 6-4 with a quarter of an hour still to go.