ANTHONY McGILL is confident he can shine under the Crucible spotlight as he gets set to take centre stage in Sheffield this afternoon.

The Scottish snooker star will make his World Championship bow against compatriot Stephen Maguire as the showpiece event gets underway.

McGill booked his place in the competition by coming through the gruelling qualifying rounds, and will now realise a boyhood dream when he steps into the famous arena for the first time.

Currently ranked 32 in the world and considered as one of the brightest prospects on the green baize, the Glasgow potter could be one of the surprise packages south of the border.

A partisan following will cheer McGill on as he kicks off his campaign on the opening afternoon of the Worlds - and the 24-year-old can't wait to get down to business.

McGill told SportTimes: "To walk out into the Crucible as a professional and play there, well, it is the stuff dreams are made of. I am really glad that I am playing on a weekend. It will be fantastic, and one of the best of my life.

"If I wasn't playing early on, I would be sitting watching and itching to get out there and play. I was at the qualifiers in Sheffield last week and all the banners are around the city.

"I was walking by them all and thinking 'I would love to be part of this'. Now, I will be and I can't wait.

"If I lose, nobody will take much notice, but I will be gutted if that happens. However, I am delighted to be there and I have already achieved my main objective, which was to qualify.

"Now that I am there, I want to do my best. I will try my heart out, leave everything on the table and what will be will be."

Having first set his sights on a spot in Sheffield as a seven-year-old as he watched John Higgins lift the 1998 crown with an 18-12 triumph over Ken Doherty, McGill has had to be patient on the road to eventual glory.

The Glaswegian had to hold his nerve to edge past Mark King in a final-frame decider at the last qualification round to ensure he will line up alongside the other 31 top potters in the game.

He is one of five Scots in the competition this year and is eager to emerge victorious in his tartan tussle with Maguire.

McGill said: "I have practised a lot with Marcus Campbell and Alan McManus. I have practised with Stephen in the past, but not as much. I still get on really well with him and he is one of the guys I look up to.

"The determination, the desire, the grit is something I admire. They are qualities you see in the Scottish players and Stephen has them in abundance.

"Guys like Stephen, John and Alan are the kind of players I want to be like. To get the chance to play Stephen on the biggest stage of all is amazing.

"Scotland has produced many world champions and a lot of the best players in the game have come from Scotland.

"It would be great for one of us to go and lift the title. With an all-Scottish clash in the first round, we are guaranteed at least one representative in the second round."

Higgins begins his bid for a fifth world crown when he faces Robert Milkins of England this afternoon, with another former champion, Graeme Dott's opening opponent tonight another Englishman, Ricky Walden.

McManus is not in action until Monday evening when he lines up against Ali Carter of England.