Taylor Richards celebrated his move from Manchester City to Brighton with a cheeky Panenka-style penalty winner in a friendly at Crawley.
And the 18-year-old midfielder, who struck up an unlikely friendship with Manchester United star Paul Pogba while in Manchester , later said the decision to leave the Etihad Stadium was an easy one.
Richards had an impressive debut for the Seagulls after signing last week in a £2.5million deal, having been at City since he joined them at 14 from Fulham.
And he later told the Evening Argus : "For me I think it was an easy decision.
"I feel I’m at that stage now that I need to push on.
"I didn’t think playing 23s was helping me, I feel like I was stuck, but all credit to Manchester City teaching me, being a better person off the pitch as well as on it, because I’ve been with them since I was 14.
"So credit to them, training every day with the top players."
But Richards said there were no hard feelings at the lack of a breakthrough at City.
"It’s hard, but you can’t blame them. They are playing for the title and they want to win everything. If I was the manager I’d do the same thing," he added.
"I feel like this is the progress, especially under the manager who has a record for playing young players. I’m in a happy space right now and I hope it all goes well from now."
