The striker is the latest of the club’s promising youngsters to land a professional contract.
Youth hotshot Lucas McRoberts has told how he’s laser focused on pursuing his dream of starring for Ayr United.
The 17-year-old striker is the latest talent to emerge from the Somerset Academy, this week landing his first professional contract. The powerful frontman has quickly caught the eye of new boss Scott Brown in training and been tied down to a deal until the summer of 2026.
McRoberts, a former student at Prestwick Academy who started his football career with the Caledonian Youth Club in the town, has been a part of Ayr’s system since 2017. With United’s successful under-18s squad, he is becoming more and more known for his goal threat. He now intends to advance by becoming noticeable in and around the first team photo in the years to come.
“The last year or so has been a fantastic experience with getting my chance to be around the first team,” he told the Ayrshire Post. When I first had the opportunity to train with the team, it was under Lee Bullen, and since Scott Brown joined, things have gotten even better.
Training under the new gaffer has incredibly high intensity, which I really appreciate. Since he arrived, I’ve had a chance to talk to him quite a bit, and he’s been really helpful in providing me with advice. I really want to seize this opportunity now because it’s a fantastic one for me.”
“I’ve always known I wanted to be a footballer,” McRoberts continued. I studied aeronautical engineering for a short while at college, but I never doubted that this was what I wanted to do. However, I couldn’t always make the course due to training or reserve games, which I don’t believe they enjoyed. I even spent the last year working at Morrisons because I was unable to wait to hand in my notice the other night when I knew I had this deal!
“You can tell how successful this academy is in producing players by the sheer quantity of boys signing contracts. You will undoubtedly be given the opportunity if you put in enough effort.”
Lucas’s mother Lyndsay stated: “He’s worked hard since he joined the club at the age of ten. This has been his dream for a long time.” He has learned a lot from his coaches throughout this system and is disciplined and goal-oriented with regards to his football career. He feels very much a part of things here, and it’s a terrific club for him to grow in. This is a great environment.”
Graeme Mathie, managing director of United, continued, “Lucas is the most recent player to make the transition from the Academy to playing for the first team. His current task is to keep going in that direction as he gets closer to participating in those first team games.
“The numerous youngsters like Lucas who have gone through the system and been given this opportunity to go and thrive in the game are entirely to be credited to the younger coaches at the Academy. His current club places a high emphasis on helping up-and-coming players, so we’re hoping to push the envelope there. A name like Alan Forrest sticks out; he’s currently performing in Europe and at Hearts, and our task is to say – can we go beyond that? Lucas and our other talented youngsters now have the chance to go and beat that benchmark.”
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