Schoolboy Reuben Noble-Lazarus has claimed the record as the Football League's youngest ever player after the Barnsley striker came off the bench at Ipswich last night, aged just 15 years and 45 days.
His manager Simon Davey said the youngster, who was back at school today, was too young to be paid.
When Noble-Lazarus was signalled to join the action at the Portman Road ground, in his side's 3-0 defeat, he beat the previous record - shared by two players - by 113 days.
Booked: Reuben Noble-Lazarus became the youngest football league player on his debut for Barnsley at Ipswich last night
The previous mark was set by Bradford Park Avenue's Albert Geldard in 1929 and was equalled by Wrexham's Ken Roberts.
Roberts was aged 15 years and 158 days when he first played in the League in 1951.
Davey joked that Noble-Lazarus would receive a ham sandwich and a piece of pizza for his efforts.
'He has only trained a couple of times with the first team but they have taken him under their wing,' the manager said.
On the ball: Noble-Lazarus attends Newsome High School in Huddersfield
Wearing a No 31 shirt, he came on as a substitute in the 84th minute at Portman Road.
Davey said that the speedy Noble-Lazarus, who attends school in Huddersfield, would not be allowed to get ahead of himself.
'I think if they're good enough, they're old enough,' said Davey.
'I have kept an eye on him over the last two years and have tried to integrate him as quickly as I could into the first team.
Too young to be paid: Noble-Lazarus 'will get a ham sandwich and pizza'
Noble-Lazarus is 15 years and 45 days
'He is a confident lad but he is still only 15. He is a talent and we need to nurture him in the right way.'
Noble-Lazarus's player profile on Barnsley's official website contains scant
information on the player.
'I was academy manager two years ago and I gave him a start in the under-18s,' said Davey.
'He did well when he came on. He didn't give the ball away.
'He scored a hat-trick for the youth team against Sheffield United on Saturday.
'We need to look after him. He has got to be dipped in and perhaps dipped back out.
We've arranged with his school that we can get him out for two days a week so he can train with us.'
Millwall's Moses Ashikodi was the youngest player to make his Football League début in the last 20 years. He played in 2003, aged 15 years and 240 days.
Matthew Etherington, now a fixture the Premier League side West Ham, was 15 years and 262 days when he made his League début for Peterborough in 1997.
10 YOUNGEST FOOTBALL LEAGUE PLAYERS
1 Reuben Noble-Lazarus (Barnsley) 15 years 45 days
2 Ken Roberts (Wrexham) 15 years 158 days
3 Albert Geldard (Bradford PA) 15 years 158 days
4 Ronnie Dix (Bristol R) 15 years173 days
5 Derek Forster (Sunderland) 15 years 185 days
6 Alick Jeffrey (Doncaster R) 15 years 229 days
7 Moses Ashikodi (Millwall) 15 years 240 days
8 Tony Geidmintis (Workington) 15 years 247 days
9 Danis Salman (Brentford) 15 years 248 days
10 Paul Walker (Brentford) 15 years 248 days
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