THE goals that Tony Weston scored in his mid-teens sparked the hype and the headlines. There was little chance, though, that the striker would buy into the promotion of his prodigious talents.
At 19, Weston has a wise head on young shoulders. More than three years have now passed since he made his Blackpool debut and his experiences with Rangers and Partick Thistle, and now with Cove, have shaped him mentally, tactically and physically.
Predictions of a bright future in the game have followed Weston for some time but the Scouser remains focused on the here and now rather than the future. He knows he is only as good as his last game, after all.
His first one for the Seasiders came in an FA Cup win over Maidstone United, an outing that was a reward for his efforts that saw him score 14 times during the first half of the campaign for the second string. Just days earlier, he had been involved with Simon Grayson's side for the trip to face Ipswich Town.
Weston was taken out of school to allow him to travel to Portman Road and stay with the squad the night before the game. He took part in the warm-up and was then an unused substitute in the EFL Trophy defeat to Scunthorpe United.
Grayson spoke about Weston's 'pure enthusiasm' and love for the game in the aftermath of his bow. Within months, he had to watch the forward head out of the door at Bloomfield Road as Rangers won the race for his signature on a three-year contract.
It was a move that excited staff and supporters and an impressive campaign with the B Team saw Giovanni van Bronckhorst give him a debut on the final day of last season as Weston replaced Steven Davis for the final 19 minutes of the win over Hearts at Tynecastle.
Many on the outside will see a frustrating loan spell at Firhill as a rare setback, as an indication that a career that had been on the up and up had suffered its first stall. Weston uses it as motivation and, as he has always done, refuses to get carried away with what others think.
"When I first came to Rangers, there probably was a lot of hype or whatever," Weston said. "The first season was Under-18s and we were in and out with Covid.
"I felt like last season was my first proper season playing week in week out and that proved to be success. I scored 36 goals and there was probably even more hype about me at that point.
"Going on loan and not getting the opportunities I wanted was a blow but between now and the end of the season it is just about going out and expressing myself, putting the work in on the training ground and seeing where that takes me.
"To be honest, you hear stories and stuff but the last year-and-a-half or so I haven’t really used social media. I post every now and then but I try not to look into that sort of stuff. I feel as though you are only as good as your last performance.
"I wouldn’t sit round looking at articles or stories or comments about me or whatever, I need to focus on the next one and make sure that I am still performing in every game as well as I can. I am not caught up in any hype."
For many aspiring talents, that is easier said than done. The journey from promising kid to first team player is one littered with obstacles and the mental hurdles can often be more difficult to overcome than the physical ones as the ever-increasing demands take hold on the rise through the levels.
Weston has taken each challenge in his stride. The dream of becoming a professional has been a driving force since his days growing up on the same street in Liverpool where Steven Gerrard honed his talents as a kid that was destined for legendary status.
Weston started out playing in midfield and as a number ten but the volume of goals he scored saw his position shift and he was quickly leading the line. He cites the likes of Robbie Fowler, Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez as inspirations in his home city but it was Gerrard that those around him idolised, that every Scouser wanted to be growing up.
When he moved to Ibrox in July 2020, the lure of working in the same building as his Anfield icon looked like a major draw. It was secondary for Weston, though, as he chose his destination carefully and wisely.
"I felt like, first and foremost, it was about how much I would develop as a player," Weston said. "I didn’t want to go somewhere that I didn’t feel I would improve and excel at.
"I wouldn’t have done that regardless. I needed to see myself improving every day on the training ground. I got that feeling before moving to Rangers and I feel as though I have done since."
It is now in the blue of Cove Rangers that Weston is playing. The decision was made to cut short his time at Firhill in search of more regular first team football and the drop down the Championship standings never daunted him.
His only goal for the Jags came in the Scottish Cup win over Kelty Hearts in November but he points to the game time - totalling just over five-and-a-half hours for Ian McCall's side - as a mitigating factor as he was unable to establish himself across Glasgow.
A 5-0 defeat to Ayr United wasn't how Weston wished to mark his debut under Paul Hartley but he came off the bench on his return to Firhill last weekend as Cove boosted their survival chances with a 1-0 victory.
"I have settled in quickly," Weston said. "All the lads have been great with me and it is just a case of trying to get on the pitch between now and the end of the season.
"Thistle wanted to keep me until the end of the season and use me in the squad. I wanted more game time, I felt like I need more game time. It was a case of saying ‘no thanks’ and going back to Rangers to train there for a few weeks to try and get as fit as I could.
"I wanted to head back out on loan in either League One or the Championship and I got an offer to stay at this level. I feel I can play at this level and I want to play as much as I can."
It would have been the safe option for Weston to spend the rest of the season back at Auchenhowie and turn out for the B Team in the Lowland League but he knows he must test himself as much as possible and the school of hard knocks in the second tier will stand him in good stead.
His interactions with boss Michael Beale were brief during the short time that they were reunited before he made the move to the Balmoral Stadium. The loan is designed to improve all aspects of his game but Weston, as always, will judge himself on goals.
"Getting first team experience has been a big thing for me," Weston said. "You are playing against men in the Lowland League but it is not as competitive, there are not teams of the same quality.
"I feel that the biggest thing I am learning in the Championship is the speed of the game. It is a lot faster, I need to learn to deal with pressure on the ball and, at the same time, try and implement what I am good at. It is about being confident and trying to express myself at that level because I feel like I will get joy with a good run of games.
"I want to earn as many minutes as I can. I have proven in my career that, given the right opportunities and game time, the goals and the impact will come.
"It is just a case of trying to impress the gaffer at Cove and get him to trust me enough to get those opportunities. I want to get on the pitch as much as I can and get loads of games under my belt between now and the end of the season."
