Troy Perrett spoke to Cardiff City TV to reflect on a special night in his career, following his First Team debut.
The midfielder came on as a substitute in the Bluebirds' 1-0 victory over Exeter City in the Vertu Trophy and impressed with a composed performance.
“I’m so pleased," Troy began. "To make my First Team debut is something that I’ve been working hard towards. I’ve been at the Club since the age of seven, so it’s a big moment for me and my family.
“It’s great to see that the coaches trust me to play a big part in the game. Hopefully I showed what I can do when I got on the pitch.
"You always want to make an impression. Playing my first game is a milestone, but hopefully now I can make even more of an impression as time goes on."
As well as showing his ability in possession, Troy also showed eagerness to win the ball back, in keeping with Brian Barry-Murphy's playing style.
The 18-year-old's opportunity comes after his fine form for our U21s, making a goal-scoring start to the season under Darren Purse.
Troy continued: “It’s been a good start to the season for me. It’s been great to impact games for the U21s and get some goals, but it’s just about focusing on improvement.
“Working hard off the ball is an aspect of my game that I’ve definitely tried to work on. Especially at First Team level, the coaches demand it from you.
"Moving forward, it’s something that I’ll focus on and look to improve on with more appearances. I definitely want to build on tonight. Hopefully it’s the first of many."
Barry-Murphy named a young side for the fixture against the Grecians, with starts for fellow Academy graduates Tanatswa Nyakuhwa, Luey Giles, Dakarai Mafico and Dylan Lawlor, while Ronan Kpakio came on off the bench.
Troy concluded by providing an insight into the effect that opportunities can have on our current Academy prospects.
“It’s really good to see," he added. "I’ve grown up with some of the boys and they’re getting opportunities. It’s good to see that the Club are trusting young players and hopefully you see more and more over the next few years.
“It’s a great time to be at the Club. From the young age groups, everyone has that belief. You see some of the boys coming into the First Team having been at the Club since the age of seven, it gives you belief that you can do it."