AROUND three years ago, pulling on his boots to hit the net at Dunfermline's Pitreavie Playing Fields was the norm for yet another product of the Hill of Beath football factory, Callum Smith.

So it's little wonder that, after forcing his way into first team at football at the age of just 17, winning a first-ever international call-up doesn't, in his own words, "feel real".

The village that produced the legendary Jim Baxter and current Scotland captain Scott Brown has another prospect making a name for himself.

Talented Dunfermline Athletic player Callum, a former pupil at Cowdenbeath Primary and Beath High schools, jetted out to Serbia with Scotland's under-19 squad for his first taste of national team action.

Callum, who hails from Hill of Beath, joined the Pars at under-15 level before the Fife Elite Football Academy – consisting of all four Fife senior clubs – came into being.

After two years with Fife Elite, he signed a professional contract at East End Park in May last year before making his first-team debut as a substitute in a Betfred Cup tie with Inverness two months later, aged just 16.

He made two more appearances from the bench last season but, since going on to score against Elgin City in this season's Betfred Cup in July, Callum has enjoyed a meteoric rise.

He was handed his first top team start at Hearts – providing the assist for Dunfermline's second goal – before he hit the net for the first time in last month's 5-1 league rout of Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Callum's impressive form made it impossible for him to be ignored, and he acknowledges he's come a long way in a short space of time.

"It was obviously a shock because I've never been away with a Scotland squad at any age group, although because I'm in the first team I've started to get recognised," he said.

"It's an amazing feeling, especially at this age and when you see players there who are all with big teams; there's boys from Arsenal, Celtic and Rangers, I'm just so chuffed.

"My family are so proud as well. They come to every game.

"My brother’s in the under-16 squad and has been captain, so we’re both doing well."

Looking back on his football journey so far, he reflected: "I started with Lochgelly Albert Colts when I was really young and then I went to the Blue Brazil Boys Club.

"I played Soccer 7s and was still playing at Pitreavie when I was 14-15, so this doesn't feel real yet. I still feel like I'm dreaming a bit because it's happened so quick."

Callum continued: "It has been a great few weeks for me. I started against Hearts, which was a shock, then against Livingston, Inverness and Falkirk.

"I’m in an environment that’s different and a wee bit of a change but I’ve tried to give the manager loads of choices. I don’t want to drop out of the team and hopefully I can keep banging in goals."