TROY PARROTT WOKE up to a new reality this morning, but he would have also been greeted by a reminder of the life has had to leave behind.

Now a senior Republic of Ireland international, the Tottenham Hotspur star could bask in the afterglow of a successful international debut.

He led the line for his country with a diligence and awareness belying his 17 years, but it was only a little over 12 months ago that he was caught in the eye of an eligibility storm which ruffled more than a few feathers while at home in Dublin.

As Crumlin United’s Craig Walsh revealed on Twitter this morning: “Great to see @troyparrott9 make his senior  debut last night. Mad to think over a year ago he played and won in a 5aside in richmond park for charity and his team got disqualified cause he wasn’t over 18.”

Somehow this controversy had remained under wraps. Until now. Those involved have come forward and are singing like canaries about the Parrott fiasco as this story continues to grow wings.

It centres around the Hano Cup, a charity five-a-side tournament organised in June 2018 by the St Patrick’s Athletic supporters’ group The Patron Saints, in honour of the late Niall ‘Hano’ Hannigan.

Parrott was 16 at the time and officially a Spurs player having beaten off competition from the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea to land his signature.

So it was quite a feather in the cap for Jake Donnelly to get his good friend to join his team’s ranks for the competition.

“I asked him, explained that it was for charity and Troy was happy to play. There was none of this ‘I play for Spurs so won’t play’. He knew it was for a good cause and fancied playing because he was on his summer holiday,” Donnelly tells The42.

“He’s taken it easier the last few times he’s been home but but that’s just how it has to be. Troy wanted to help out and raise some money.”

Former St Pat’s defender Ger O’Brien, now overseeing the underage operation at the club, showed his face for the good cause, in which 16 teams raised over €1350 for Our Lady’s Hospice and Care Services.

“I’ve known him since he was 12 when he was on the DDSL (Dublin District Schoolboys League) team. It wasn’t a surprise really that he was there with his mates cause that’s the sort of kid he is, he just loves playing football whenever he can.”

Parrott led his team – representing the Malthouse pub – to the final where they beat back-to-back champions The Parish. Danny Quinn, chairman of the Patron Saints, recalls with a laugh.

“No one really knew he was, he wasn’t a big name then but he scored goals for fun that day and his team battered us in the semi finals. They won the final too and it was only when we went back to one of the pubs after that some people realised who Troy was.”

And that is when some eagled-eyed sticklers for the rules copped that the 16-year-old did not qualify to play due to it being strictly over-18s.

“Ah, there was just a bit of banter about it. There was a call made to the Malthouse to see what the story was but sure it was as serious as you would expect for a five-a-side.”

Parrott, thankfully, showed no signs of the furore playing on his mind last night with a chirpy display in his home city.

The Parish, meanwhile, will have a claim to fame when they attempt to get back on their perch in next summer’s Hano Cup.