NOT content with jumping two divisions from Altrincham on loan to Tranmere on loan and immediately making his full league debut, Ryan Shotton only got greedy by grabbing his first senior goal just for good measure.

And it only happened to be the winner last weekend, a second-half header clinching a more than useful 2-1 win at Huddersfield.

“I got a few at Altrincham last season,” said the 19-year-old defender, “and it’s definitely something I’d like to add to my game.

“It came from a free-kick from the left and it’s something we’ve worked on in training.

“I did my movement in the box and luckily the ball came into my area and I got my head on it to put the ball in the corner. All of them just jumped on me after that one.

“It’s been going really well for me and I’m loving it. All the lads have been brilliant and helped me settle.

“There’s a good mix of hungry young lads and more experienced players, like Chris Greenacre and Ian Moore.”

Greenacre has long been a goalscoring favourite on Birkenhead after moving north in 2005 after three seasons at Stoke.

“I trained once with Chris at Stoke when I was 15,” Shotton recalls fondly. “I remembered him, but I’m not sure he remembered me. But he said he did and he was asking about the lads here.”

Shotton, a scholar at Grange Primary and Blurton High, had already enjoyed a memorable start to his season after making his senior Stoke debut as a late sub in the Carling Cup win at Cheltenham.

Since moving to Tranmere three games ago, the Academy graduate has played both centre-half and right-back after winning early approval from manager Ronnie Moore.

“I thought I was coming as a centre-back and played there to begin with,” he says, “but I’ve since switched to right-back.

“I haven’t spoken to Ronnie much, but I think right-back will be where he wants me to play.

“I think I can adapt and it’s all about getting experience. It was definitely important for me to come out on loan.”

It was a big jump from Conference to League One, he concedes, and he modestly attributes that to Stoke’s own rise in fortunes.

“The whole profile of Stoke has gone up, so every player’s profile is going to rise as well and that has enabled me to rise a couple of divisions. It’s brilliant for me to get a League One club.”

Moves were underway this week to extend his stay beyond the initial one-month loan as his immediate education looks set to continue at Prenton Park.

“Coming back to Stoke,” he reasons, “I would just be back in the reserves because the manager has spent a lot of money on players, so the best thing is staying out on loan.

“But I would like to think my future is still at Stoke. Coming out on loan gives me the chance to show what I can do and hopefully he can fit me in over the next couple of years.

“I’m still young and learning, so I can’t expect to be in the fold.”

And what a cheer the Academy would give on seeing their gentle giant graduate to the very top of his hometown club.