Jamie Gullan praised by Raith Rovers boss John McGlynn after Scotland U21 call-up

The Hibernian striker spent both the second half of last season and the first half of the current campaign on loan at the Kirkcaldy side, with his second spell producing nine goals in 18 appearances in League One before returning to his parent club in January.

Gullan has since made the breakthrough at Easter Road, scoring his first Hibs goal in the Scottish Cup quarter-final win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle, before starting his first Premiership match away to Aberdeen on Saturday.

His form has caught the eye of Scott Gemmill, who has named the 20-year-old in his squad for the first time for the European Under-21 Championship qualifiers with Croatia and Greece at the end of March.

Raith boss McGlynn said: "I'm delighted for him.

"Hopefully it's another backhanded compliment to ourselves and the work that has been done here with Jamie because he wasn't near these things previously.

"He started for Hibs at the weekend, he's already scored his first goal, and now he's got the U21 call-up. It's all happened in a very short period of time.

"I'm buzzing for him and hopefully he can have a good end to the season, get a Scotland U21 cap and kick on by getting more games with Hibs."

McGlynn believes Gullan can follow in the footsteps of the young loanees he worked with in his first spell at Raith, the likes of Johnny Russell, David Goodwillie and David Templeton, who in the case of the first two, went on to earn senior international caps.

"He probably can," McGlynn said. "He scores goals and that's what everyone is looking for. He's not scared to shoot.

"If you look at some of the top strikers Hibs have brought through over the years - O'Conner, Riordan, Fletcher, Griffiths - these guys shoot all the time.

"They are not scared to shoot, and are a little bit selfish at times, but they score goals.

"That's what Jamie does. He sees the goal and he shoots. He has two powerful feet, particularly his right.

"If he continues to gain experience, got on that pitch and pick up a few goals, then anything can happen for him because he's got a good attitude, he works hard, has decent pace, two good feet, he's a strong boy, and he's level-headed. He ticks a lot of boxes."

Another former Raith loanee, goalkeeper Kieran Wright, is also in the squad. The Rangers youngster is currently on loan at Alloa.

The full squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Ross Doohan (Ayr United*); Robbie McCrorie (Livingston**); Kieran Wright (Alloa***)

Defenders: Daniel Harvie (Ayr United); George Johnston (Feyenoord); Barry Maguire (Motherwell); Lewis Mayo (Partick Thistle**); Ross McCrorie (Portsmouth**); Patrick Reading (Stevenage); Stephen Welsh (Celtic)

Midfielders: Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen); Billy Gilmour (Chelsea); Andy Irving (Hearts); Stephen Kelly (Ayr United**); Lewis Moore (Hearts); Lewis Smith (Hamilton)

Forwards: Louis Appere (Dundee United); Jamie Gullan (Hibernian); Fraser Hornby (KV Kortrijk***); Connor McLennan (Aberdeen); Glenn Middleton (Bradford City**)

*On loan from Celtic; **On loan from Rangers; ***On loan from Everton