TEENAGE goalkeeper Ed Baldy is hoping that he's made the first step of a long career in professional football after earning a contract to play in Scotland's top flight.

The 18-year-old from Broughton Gifford, who spent last season playing for Paul Shanley's Bradford Town in the Toolstation League, signed a one-year contract at Inverness Caledonian Thistle in June after impressing boss Terry Butcher with his performances for the England Schoolboys u18s last year.

Baldy is Caley Thistle's third-choice keeper behind Richard Esson and Jonathan Tuffey and the only goalie eligible to play in his side's u19 matches and says that he never expected to be playing his trade at a Scottish Premier League Club.

“Terry Butcher asked me up for a trial after seeing me play against Ireland and the contract came from there – I jumped at the chance as soon as they offered it to me,” said the former Team Bath academy student, who had spells at Southampton and Bristol City academies as a youngster.

“Training full-time was hard to start with but the great thing is that you can feel yourself improving all the time and you feel like you're just getting better as a goalkeeper.

“I didn't expect to be playing up in Scotland but football's all I know how to do so I had to give it a go – it's a big year and if I can do well and get a big contract next year, then I might well have the chance to be second or first-choice keeper.”

Baldy has already made his first-team debut for Caley Thistle, playing 90 minutes in a thrilling 5-3 victory over Brora Rangers in the North of Scotland Cup on August 9.

The youngster says that he's already adjusting to life north of the border.

“It's a ten-hour drive or a flight home so I've been here most weekends,” he said.

“I'm living in a boarding house with a couple and one other player but they're really nice and they've even taken me out fishing and hunting – Inverness seems like a nice place too.

“Everyone's happy for me and I know they are back at Bradford too.

“I've never failed at any level I've been at, so I want to try and go as far as possible and I see this as a stepping stone to the next level.”