Luke became Ballymena United’s youngest-ever player when he was introduced off the bench in September’s Co Antrim Shield win over Ballymacash Rangers aged 15 and earlier this year also made his Premiership debut against champions Linfield. That has helped set him up for a switch to the Saints with the talented Northern Ireland youth international making the move this summer when he turns 16. Being part of the Irish FA JD National Academy, which is based at Campbell College and sees the country’s elite young talent continue their education alongside completing a full-time football programme, has given Luke a taste for the professional environment and dad Steven feels it’s setting players up for success. "We're over the moon for him,” said Steven. "From day dot all Luke has wanted to do is play football. "He has never once came to me or his mummy and said 'I don't want to go to training'. This is what he wants to do and hopefully he can give it a good go. "He's a laid-back character and doesn't get carried away. He works hard and he's looking forward to it. "Southampton is a great club and we really liked what we saw. They've a good history of bringing kids through. Lee Mudd really helped us with his sound advice throughout. "He went to a few Premier League clubs. "The Irish League route is a really good one when you look at the likes of Stuart Dallas, Liam Boyce, Gavin Whyte, Mark Sykes, Terry Devlin, Trai Hume. "Trai’s dad Jonny is Head of Youth at Ballymena and that's why we went to Ballymena...he's a great lad and runs the academy really well." Steven, who made his own move to England in 1997 after joining Blackburn Rovers from Coagh United, has played an important role in Luke’s development alongside mother Bronagh. Luke started his career being coached by Steven at local club Magherafelt Sky Blues before switching to Ballymena, where he has developed into a consistent member of the senior squad under Jim Ervin, now racking up six Premiership appearances. "Jim came in and he has been brilliant with Luke,” added Steven. “He said that Luke will be training with the first team if he's not at the JD Academy and it has been brilliant for him because it has introduced him to men's football and helped him develop. "Jim said Luke had the ability and has had him in the squad. "He thought it would be good for him to see how men's football works and the development of Luke from the start of the season to now has been massive. "The first few weeks of training at the start of the season he was maybe a bit tentative, but he's a first team squad member now so it's mad how quickly you can adapt. "He has a lot of hard work to go and be a footballer in England. It's staying in England which is the big thing and he knows that. "The amount of kids that went over in my time and were back within four years, the percentage was very high. "Now we have Scottish and English players coming to the Irish League and there's full-time football. The league has come on leaps and bounds." Luke is the latest Irish League youngster to seal a move across the water, following in the footsteps of Aodhan Doherty, George Feeney, Braiden Graham and Ceadach O’Neill, while Glenavon sensation Chris Atherton is set to join Chelsea having impressed at Mourneview Park this season. While Luke’s transfer brings back memories for Steven of joining Blackburn nearly 30 years ago before returning home to spend time with the likes of Portadown and Glenavon, he feels the current game is at another level. “I went from 1997-2001, but this is Luke's journey,” he said. "There are a few of us who played together back in the day going 'are we really this age now?!' with our kids moving over. "The quality of coaching here has improved massively. "There's a good crop coming through and even the senior Northern Ireland team is very young at the minute which is great to see. "Hopefully over the next five or six years we can see the kids making careers in England."