It’s hard to think of a team in the Super Premier Division that would not want Mark Shankland in their forward line.

More often than not, the Auchinleck Talbot striker has been at the centre of his side’s best displays this season.

And it speaks volumes when he is being targeted by opponents as the player who must be stopped in order to overcome the Ayrshire cracks.

Quite a back-handed accolade given that Talbot boss Tommy Sloan can still call upon the likes of Keir Milliken and Graham Wilson to fill the striking jerseys.

But then the technically-gifted Shankland has earned plenty of them in a burgeoning footballing career that saw him emerge from Ayr United’s Youth Academy to sensationally make his debut for the first team as a 15-year-old.

That heady breakthrough produced an inevitable downturn and the youngster’s hunger for regular game time saw him move on loan to Albion Rovers where he hit the ground running under the tutelage of James Ward.

However, his scoring exploits led to him being recalled by Somerset Park boss Mark Roberts just a month down the line, but he dropped out of the first team picture again and was consigned to playing youth team football.

His simmering frustrations and Ayr United’s determination to hold out for a development fee from any interested Senior club (their entitlement up until a player is 23 years of age) brought about an impasse that was only resolved when Shankland opted to be reinstated into the Junior ranks in 2014 shortly after his 19th birthday.

And there was only ever going to be one Junior club for the Mauchline-born and bred protégé, who had received a childhood schooling in Auchinleck Talbot’s ethics watching his father Kevin Biggart patrolling a midfield beat in the black and gold colours.

It would be fair to say Shankland was something of a bit-part player during that first season even if he did feature as an unused substitute in the 2015 Scottish Junior Cup Final victory over Musselburgh Athletic.

However, he was undoubtedly more to the fore last time out and notched 14 goals to play a significant role as Talbot finished the season with a three-trophy haul of Super Premier Championship, New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup and Evening Times Champions Cup.

What has been akin to an apprenticeship is well and truly served with Shankland now regarded as Auchinleck’s No.1 dangerman with his close control, pace, dribbling skills and free kick expertise marking him out as a near complete player - and one who might yet earn another crack at a full time career in football .

He said: "I've never made a secret of my wish to play at the highest level possible so it would be dream come true to go back into the Seniors.

"But right now I’m only concentrating on doing my best for Auchinleck Talbot to try and hold down a place in the team.

“Tucker said at resigning talks at the start of this season that he would give me a chance to impress so he’s been as good as his word and I feel capable of making the position my own but only by playing at my very best .

“Milly terrorises defences with his pace while G is up there as one of the best players I’ve ever shared a dressing room with and now young Dylan Pooler is beginning to show his abilities so I cannot expect any favours if I’m not doing the business.

“And that’s exactly how it should be at a club of Auchinleck Talbot’s stature in the game where the expectations of supporters are higher than most as I know only too well from my years standing on the terracings beside them.”

Shankland is hopeful of retaining his starting jersey when Auchinleck head through to face Scottish Junior Cup holders Beith for what is shaping up as a crunch fourth-round clash in mid-January.

He added: "We’ve played them four times already this season, but I was injured earlier in the season and only played in the 1-1 league game where I scored from a free kick.

“Beith are a big and powerful side with a number of decent players, but if we can get the ball down and play passes like we did to overcome a very strong Pollok in the last round then I fancy we can do well.”

Another trip to Newlandsfield beckons for Shankland and his team-mates when Super Premier league action re-commences after the festive break and a massive boost for the Ayrshiremen came yesterday when skipper James Latta played in a 2-0 friendly win over Ardrossan Winton Rovers in which Gordon Pope and Craig McCracken were on the scoresheet.

Junior internationalist Latta has been sidelined for almost four months with a shoulder injury sustained in one of those early season jousts with Beith and his return to the playing front is a timely boost for team boss Tommy Sloan.

On the comings and goings front comes word of new Arthurlie gaffer placing striker Gary Smith on the open to transfer list.