THE mother of promising Scottish football starlet Reagan Thomson has revealed her son won’t be fazed by his stunning move from Queen’s Park to Newcastle United – because he has already been forced to become a man long before his time.

Thomson, at just 16-years-old, swapped Hampden for the English Premier League last week in a move that would have had even the most senior professionals’ nerves jangling.

Michelle Foley-Thomson, Reagan’s mum, is adamant her boy will handle the move. His mentality, she says, changed when at just nine years old he lost his biggest fan – his dad Alexander, 40 – suddenly.

“He’s been through a really hard time since he’s been a wee boy and during his time at Queen’s Park,” Michelle said. “So I’m delighted that he’s got what he’s wanted out of life.

“He lost his daddy at the age of nine. It was very sudden when he passed away, it wasn’t expected at all. If there was one thing I could wish, it would be that his dad was by our side to see Reagan move to Newcastle for his dream.

“His dad will be up there now saying, ‘That’s my boy’. I’m delighted for his dad as well because I know how proud he would be.”

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Just two years after losing his dad, Reagan’s world was rocked again by news that his mum was battling cervical cancer.

Michelle, 45, continued: “We were just coming up to his dad’s two-year anniversary in May when I was diagnosed in March. The kids were very much included and knew exactly what was happening, though I protected him from certain things.

“He’s been through an awful lot but it’s amazing that he has come through everything and excelled to this level. He’s had to grow up so quickly but I think that will stand him in good stead for moving away.

“And I have to praise Queens Park all the way. When I was ill they looked after him, stood by me and helped me get him where he needed to be. I could never have asked for a better club at that time because they looked after us.”

Reagan’s move is another in a long list of young Scots reaching for the big-time. Celtic’s Liam Morrison recently departed for Bayern Munich, Liam Smith from Kilmarnock to Manchester City and, of course, Billy Gilmour to Chelsea from Rangers.

Michelle admits, though, that she had no idea just how good her boy was. No interest in football beyond Reagan’s enjoyment of the game, the doting Govan mum was simply happy that her son was happy.

Now, as he heads down south to live and train with Newcastle United’s under-18s at their top facilities on Tyneside, cafe cook Michelle finally understands the magnitude of the switch – and the talent level her lad has that got him there.

I’ll eventually move down there to be with him until he’s settled,” she said. “It’s a big move and he’s the baby of the family. My other kids are all adults so they don’t need their mum as much. I’m just delighted for him.

“I wasn’t a fan of football at all, even when Reagan was at Queen’s Park, but now it’s me who is his biggest fan. To be honest, I didn’t even realise how good a player he was. Never in a million years did I think this was going to happen. I can’t be any happier.

“I didn’t even really realise the size of the move until someone said they play in the biggest league in the world, that I thought, ‘wow’. They’re a big team and they’ll be great for my son but I don’t think I ever really thought of the seriousness of it all, I’m not really a big football person.”