Northern Ireland debut only the start for Fleetwood Town starlet Paddy Lane

Lane, who is enjoying a scintillating first season on the Fylde coast, and in professional football, started for the Green and White Army against Hungary in a 1-0 defeat at Windsor Park.

The winger played just over an hour for Ian Baraclough's side, having been an unused sub in the previous friendly, a 3-1 win over Luxembourg on Friday.

It has been a brilliant breakthrough season for Lane, who signed from non-league Hyde United last summer and only turned 21 last month.

He has made 33 appearances for Fleetwood in 2021/22, scoring five times and Lane previously won six caps for Northern Ireland Under-21s.

He said: “It was a great feeling, there were a lot of feelings growing through my head and my stomach.

"I was a bit nervous but also excited. I didn't actually tell my family because I didn't want the extra pressure.

"I'm sure when they saw the starting line up they would have been buzzing, I was just excited to get out there in front of a packed Windsor.

“It's a feeling that is hard to describe, to say I've made my full international debut now - it's unbelievable.

"It's great for me personally, great for my family and great for the club as well, producing players. It was great to get out there and show what I can do.

“That's my first taste now and I'm excited for the chance to get more.”

Baraclough said of the debutant: “He’s shown no fear. He’s risen very quickly. Now he’s got to kick on again. I see in him a lot of what we saw in Stuart Dallas when he left Crusaders for Brentford.

“Hopefully that’s not heaping too much on his shoulders but he’s the same type of body build, great athleticism, decent on the ball and he showed a good calm head, and the personality to play the way he did.”

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