Callum Davidson hopes to give young St Johnstone striker Jackson Mylchreest more first team involvement this season

Callum Davidson hopes to get talented young striker Jackson Mylchreest on the first team pitch before the end of the season.

The 16-year-old has been impressing for the club’s under-18 side and played a key role in their Scottish Youth Cup semi-final run.

Mylchreest’s form was rewarded last Saturday when, for the first time in a Scottish Premiership fixture, he was included in the matchday squad.

He proudly took his place on the bench for the McDiarmid Park game against Aberdeen which Saints went on to lose 1-0.

While Mylchreest did not enter the action on this occasion, Perth boss Davidson is keen to get the striker involved in the near future.

Davidson told the PA: “Jackson has scored 20 goals for the under-18s so he’s deserved to take his space on the bench.

“He’s been producing the goods so it’s good to get him involved on a matchday.

“He’s got a lot of work to go to get to the level we need him to be, but we’ll hopefully get him on at some stage before the end of the season.”

Davidson, highlighting the kind of player Mylchreest is, likened the way he plays – certainly in some aspects of his game – to former forward Callum Hendry.

Hendry left Saints last summer to join Salford City and is enjoying a productive time.

“Ability-wise, he’s got a lot of the characteristics a young Callum Hendry had so hopefully he can kick on,” Davidson said.

“He’s still only 16 so is one for the future and will benefit from being in the first-team environment.

“Getting a taste of it will be good for him and will also energise the rest of the under-18s because they know what’s possible.”