A TALENTED teenage footballer is hoping a Scottish call-up will help kickstart her professional football career at elite level.

Taylor Coulter, who attends Port Glasgow High, got the perfect Christmas present last month when she received an invitation to play for the Scottish schools under-15s girls team.

The 14-year-old has now had her first training session with the squad and is now looking forward to her first match.

Taylor said: "I'm so excited to be involved.

"The coaches were great at the first training session.

"I was quite nervous meeting the guys and shaking their hands, but once I got there on the pitch it felt okay.

"In the future I either want to go out to America and get a scholarship or go down to England and play for a top team like Manchester City.

"I want to keep pushing on and see where I can go with this team."

The centre half, who currently plays for Rangers under-16s, started playing football when she was four.

Her first team was a boys' side, the Port Glasgow Juniors 08s, before she progressed into the club's women's side and later joined Rangers.

She added: "There are lots of great role models in football and you can aspire to be somebody people look up to.

"I'd like to be a role model for other girls at the school."

Taylor's schools squad call up comes amid a successful season for Port High's girls' team.

Teacher Frazer McAllister, head of the school's PE department, describes Taylor and the other girls from the team as a credit to the school.

He said: "Taylor has done very well.

"She went through multiple trials to finally get through.

"It's all down to her own hard work.

"She's dedicated and loves football and we're elated that she's done so well.

"We've also got other girls going through these trials, which is great to see, and both of our girl's football teams are in the finals of the regional tournaments next month.

"We're all really proud of Taylor and wish her all the best."