A PROMISING Port Glasgow footballer hopes his fantastic form playing college football in the USA will now net him a professional club back home.

Chris Black, 20, is nearing the end of a four-year scholarship at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, where he has been just as successful on the pitch as in the classroom.

The mathematics and economics student is set to graduate in May following a hugely successful academic spell in the States.

On the field, he has topped the goalscoring and assist charts for his side and won a string of awards for his outstanding performances.

The former St Stephen’s High pupil was spotted by ex-Morton and Chelsea ace Joe McLaughlin, who runs the Soccer Icon USA agency and offered the youngster a once-in-a-lifetime scholarship to learn and play football in America.

Chris, a central midfielder, has seized the opportunity and is now hoping to make it as a pro back home in Scotland.

He told the Tele: “I want to keep playing football when I come back.

“I graduate in May and it’s been a brilliant experience. There are four more months then I will start speaking to some managers but hopefully I’ll be organised by then.

“I’m currently speaking to people and trying to organise things.

“My team did really well last year and made it into the league play-offs and nearly made the national finals — and I started every game. This has probably been my best season playing football.

“I was made the number 10 in the team, which is a big honour, and made the All District Team last year, which is for the best players in the east coast.

“I was also in contention for the All American Team two years in-a-row and I’m not aware of anybody else from my uni who has ever achieved that.” Chris was recently back in the Port for a winter break but instead of putting his feet up he stayed sharp by training with Greenock Juniors.

He believes he can cut it as a professional either here or in the States — but has a good back-up plan if his football dream doesn’t work out.

Chris said: “I hope I can make it in football because I think I can. But if that doesn’t work then maths is a good degree to have to get a job, and I would like to get into banking and finance.

“I can also stay in America or come home and work.” Chris started his scholarship in 2011 and says he has relished every minute of it.

He said: “It’s a great standard of play and more athletic than anything I have ever done — a lot of it is fitness-based and it’s been great.

“The first couple of months were hard but this season I have started games and dominated them.

“Even in my freshman year I started most games and that’s unusual.

“It’s been brilliant, the best decision I’ve ever made.”