A FOOTBALL-MAD teenager who had to give up playing when he became confined to a wheelchair was made an honorary member of the Scotland squad.

Steven Stewart, 16, joined the players, including his favourite James McFadden and captain Barry Ferguson, before the friendly clash with Argentina.

He watched them training at Hampden Park and was presented with a special commemorative team strip - which was only given to the first team - by Rangers star Barry.

Steven also received tickets to watch Wednesday's game, which Scotland lost 1-0.

His mum Fiona Grant, 45, said of Steven meeting his heroes: "He said it was the best day of his life.

"He was gobsmacked when he found out."

Steven added: "It was awesome."

The teenager, from near Carluke in Lanarkshire, is in a wheelchair because he has progressive myoclonic epilepsy.

He suffers a major seizure as often as every week and has numerous smaller attacks each day.

He had to leave his high school to go to a special school, Craighead in Hamilton, and found he was no longer fit enough to play for Hamilton Accies' youth team when he was 13.

Fiona, who had to give up her job to care for Steven, said: "If he had been like this from birth he would have never known any different, but he used to run around playing football.

"He does still like to play in goal though, on his knees, and on the day he got to have a go at that with the coach.

"His illness affects his whole body. There's no cure, it will just get worse and worse."

Steven's legs were so badly affected that he began to lose balance and fall over around three years ago.

He saw doctors at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in London, who told him he had a form of the illness after numerous tests.

He is now waiting to find out if he will have further treatment at Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow.

Steven's dream came true thanks to the When You Wish Upon A Star charity, which arranges one-off trips for children with life-threatening illnesses.

Founder Barbara White said: "We ask the children for three wishes and Steven's were to spend the day with the Scotland team or to visit Newcastle United or to go to Real Madrid's stadium.

"After a quick call, Scotland coach George Burley said they would love to do it."

Stuart Sharp, the SFA's national development manager for disability, said: "When we heard about Steven we were only too happy to have him along to be a member of the squad for the day.

"It was humbling for a number of the players to see such a young lad who maybe one day could have become a professional player himself."