'BRAVE TROY NOW A RAY OF LIGHT TO YOUNGSTERS'

RAY HOUGHTON has hailed hat-trick hero Troy Parrott for reinventing himself after the disappointment of his departure from Tottenham.

- By MARK McCADDEN

Parrott had been earmarked from a young age to become a Premier League star — and was even handed a Premier League debut under Jose Mourinho in December 2019, at the age of 17.

However, after a total of four first-team appearances, and loan spells at Millwall, Ipswich, MK Dons and Preston, he turned to the continent.

That started with a successful loan spell in the Dutch Eredivisie with Excelsior before AZ Alkmaar bought him from Spurs in July 2024.