LUKE, who comes from the Teesville are of Middlesbrough, can play either as a striker or wide player, or in that elusive position just behind the centre-forward.

He qualifies for both England and the Republic of Ireland. He attended the same school as the great Wilf Mannion, St Peter's in South Bank.

Described by Academy manager Dave Parnaby as a very subtle and exciting player, Williams' potential was immediately spotted by new manager Gordon Strachan on his arrival at the club.

He was included in the travelling squad for the game at Peterborough in November 2009 and was named among the substitutes for the 5-1 win at QPR the following week.

Speaking of Williams and his teenage team-mate Bruno Pilatos, Strachan said: "Luke has revitalised some of the training sessions we've had and young Bruno has also done fantastically well. 

"I like them, I like what I see. They've trained with the first team and it's not phased them and in fact it's made training even better.

"We're keeping an eye on them and I see no reason why they can't progress at the club and do well. I'd have no fears about playing them in games soon."

Luke made his first team debut as a 72nd-minute replacement for Jonathan Franks in a 2-1 defeat at Barnsley on Monday December 28. At 16 years, five months and three weeks old he became the youngest player to play for the Boro since Tom Murray in 1905. He was aged just 16 years 200 days, a record only bettered by Thomas Murray back in September 1905.

His first start came with a Man of the Match display in Boro's 1-1 draw with Coventry City at the Riverside on Saturday April 24 2010. 

To become Boro's youngest goalscorer since Murray in 1905, Luke would have needed to find the net before he reached 17 years 64 days, the age of Arthur Horsfield when he scored twice in a 6-0 hammering of Grimsby in 1963.

But although he came close in Boro's 2-1 win at Chesterfield during the preceeding week, that date passed on August 13 2010 without Luke having managed to get on the scoresheet.