DON OF NEW HOOPS HERO

Colby eager to follow KT, Calmac and Forrest's lead

- BY RYAN MCDONALD

FROM a Bhoy to a man. It was the night that Colby Donovan came of age in the Hoops.

Now, the teen dreams of becoming the next legendary homegrown hero.

It's been a whirlwind month or so for the Celtic academy starlet.

One minute he was turning out for the B team in the Challenge Cup against Clyde.

The next he found himself fast-tracked as Brendan Rodgers' emergency right-back. And the lifelong fan is loving every second of his dream - yet unexpected - opportunity.

Donovan didn't look out of place at all in his first European start in Belgrade.

In fact, he was one of the few standouts for the Scottish champions inside one of Europe's most intimidating arenas.

So it's no wonder the 19-year-old is pinching himself at his meteoric rise.

He said: "It's mental. But ever since I was a boy at this club it's been my dream to play for the first team and in a big game like this."

Donovan was chucked in at the deep end on a difficult night in front of a fiercely partisan home crowd.