Steve Bruce has summed up the level headed outlook of teenager Matty Longstaff as he revealed his first words after coming off the field against Manchester United following his stunning winning goal.
Bruce handed the 19-year-old North Shields lad his Premier League debut in the crunch match against the Red Devils and watched on as his effort from outside the box beat David De Gea.
After the game Bruce said: "Typical of him, the first thing he said to me coming off was 'Thank you'.
"It's ridiculous after what he's just done.
"Look, he's been in and around it, in my thoughts since China, really, if I'm being brutally honest.
"He trains every day with a big, beaming smile on his face, he's refreshing, wants to play, he's a great kid and I'm delighted."
When asked by the Chronicle if it was Roy of the Rovers stuff, Bruce replied: "It's quite fantastic to see, isn't it?
"A local kid playing alongside his brother, and what a goal.
"To score on your debut like that against Manchester United, come on, it's quite fantastic for the kid.
"No, I've never witnessed any better ones, but to be fair, his first pass, he opened himself up and pinged it 35 yards to somebody's chest, and I thought, 'Aye, aye, he's not fazed by it at all'.
"It was great, I'm delighted for him."
