THE SCOUT who put Burnley's Kyle Lafferty on the road to international recognition has tipped the striker for a big future.

But Raymond Laverty - the Clarets scout in Northern Ireland - has admitted that even he is surprised at the Enniskillen lad's sudden rise to prominence.

Laverty first saw the striker a few years ago when he was taking part in a trial for the Northern Ireland schoolboys side.

And after a few months watching him play, Laverty saw enough to recommend him to Burnley boss Steve Cotterill.

Since his arrival at Turf Moor, Lafferty broke into the first team squad, was then farmed out on loan at Darlington where he was a big hit, and then scored his first goal for Burnley on the final day of the season against Luton.

A wonderful season was capped off when he made his Northern Ireland debut at the age of 18 in last week's defeat by Uruguay in New Jersey.

"If I am honest I would say that I didn't think it would be this early but the boy has so much class that I am not at all surprised really," said Laverty, whose Newbridge AFC youth team, based on the Albertbridge Road in east Belfast, have close links with Burnley.

"We had been keeping an eye on him for a while and it was great for us that we were able to get him on board.

"After we had signed him he became a bit of a myth.

"Everybody had heard of him and were talking about him but no-one had actually seen him play.

"I know that a lot of big clubs were very annoyed that he wasn't snapped up by them.

"But he is very happy at Burnley and he feels that he made the right choice.

"The club themselves were a little worried about him being homesick when he first went but he has settled well."

"Now when we send young players over there to have a look around the place he is always there, offering advice and although he is only a boy himself, he is the man who they all look up to."

It may not be long before Premiership clubs cme sniffing at Burnley's door but Laverty feels he would do well to stay at Turf Moor.

"I think he is going to play a lot this year," added Laverty.

"Burnley have big plans for him but the manager Steve Cotterill has said that everyone has a price.

"That doesn't mean he is going to let him go without a fight.

"He wants him there to push the club on and sees him as being a major part of the club's future.

"Kyle will be happy with that and of course he will have two other Northern Ireland players in Steve Jones and Michael Duff in the team as well."