Carluke’s Tom Leighton is part of SFA 2020 vision

Organisers of the Scottish FA’s regional performance school project hope that Tom (13), will be one of many specially picked youngsters starring in a Scottish Premiership first team and for the Scotland national team by 2020.

Tom’s mum Lesley revealed that the teenager, who already stands 6ft 1’ tall, has many great qualities.

She said: “Tom is fast, tall and strong.

“He stands out. You don’t watch a game of football and not know Tom is there.

“He has a great presence and is not afraid to bark orders at his team-mates.”

The performance school – which SFA performance director Mark Wotte says is the first of its kind in the world – will see Tom and up to 140 other pupils from seven schools receiving elite specialist football training mixed with their general education during the next four years.

For more on this story, pick up a copy of this week’s Carluke and Lanark Gazette.