A TALENTED young footballer from the region was rewarded for his exceptional start to the season with an international call-up.

Matthew Senior was selected to the Wales U15 squad for a high-profile UEFA Tournament, despite being a year under the recommended age group aged 13.

The Ysgol Glan Clwyd pupil and Rhyl resident was in tremendous for the Welsh side throughout the competition, that saw them take on Cyprus, Ireland and Malta, securing two wins from their three outings.

He was away for one week with the squad in what proved to be another very worthwhile experience for his overall development, with the squad featuring 20 other players with enormous potential from across the country.

Senior began his career aged five within the Kinmel Bay youth set-up, before moving on to Liverpool FC for a brief period.

He then came through the thriving Academy system at JD Cymru North side Rhyl, and also spent some time with Connah’s Quay Nomads.

The aspiring star’s performances attracted the attention of a number of scouts from high-profile clubs across the area, and Matthew subsequently joined Sky Bet League One side Bury, who saved themselves from extinction with a last minute takeover on Friday evening.