By Lewis Anderson

Copyright glasgowworld

Amid all the protests and unrest between Celtic fans and the club’s hierarchy on display so far this season, teenage prospect Colby Donovan has gone about his business in a quiet and confident manner. The 19-year-old academy graduate is enjoying a breakthrough season in Brendan Rodgers’ first-team squad and has been the name on the lips of every Hoops supporter since starring on his European debut against Red Star Belgrade in the Serbian capital earlier this month. Donovan showed maturity beyond his years with a fearless performance at one of Europe’s most intimidating venues as he deputised for injured duo Alistair Johnston and Anthony Ralston at right-back. The youngster has a burgeoning reputation and looks destined to become a full-fledged Celtic star in the near future. Fellow homegrown hero Callum McGregor – now 32 – once found himself in Donovan’s shoes. Fast forward eleven years and 24 major honours later, the skipper laughed: “It shows my age now! He’s been fantastic since he came in. “To come into that hostile environment (in Belgrade) and play the way he did, with the quality and confidence he’s got, just speaks volumes about him. He’s really enjoying his time, and we just need to keep on him and keep him hungry, which he will do. “He’s an amazing kid with an amazing attitude. So, as many games as he can get, he’ll just get better and better. He’s got a real chance. He has a bit of swagger about him. “He has no fear, and that’s what you get with young lads when they come in. They don’t really realise where they are. At one point, I thought he might be a bit shy, but he’s come in and he backs himself in a good way, not in an arrogant way at all. “He knows he’s a good player, but he’s the first to help, he’s the first to be asking questions. He wants to learn, so he’s shown the right attitude as well. He’s just an amazing kid, and someone you want to do really well. So, I’m hoping he goes on and makes a few more appearances.” You have to go back a few years since a rising starlet has emerged through the Parkhead youth ranks and made the grade in Glasgow’s east end. McGregor, James Forrest and Kieran Tierney remain the poster boys for the club’s up-and-coming talents. And McGregor revealed: “You need something a bit special. Just that presence and personality when you go on the pitch, and he (Colby) certainly has that as well. So, I think that, coupled with hard work and having the right attitude, will stand you in good stead. “When you look at the senior players and the guys that have played so many games, it’s pretty much all the same type of player and the same type of guy that just wants more and more and more and just wants to keep working. “So, he’s certainly in that mould as well. As much as we can try and help him, that’s our job as well.” Your next read: Chris Sutton says poor form of Hoops star man has overshadowed another under-performing Parkhead ace