Former Rangers transfer target Marcello De Barros made his William Hill Premiership debut against the club who were reportedly keen to sign him.
The 15-year-old St Mirren defender was named among the substitutes for the Saints' meeting with Rangers before being introduced to make his top-flight bow at Ibrox.
Derek McInnes's side won 1-0 thanks to a final minute Bojan Miovski chip to move the Gers up to second in the table.
De Barros has been one of the most talked-about young prospects in Scottish football following his rapid rise at St Mirren.
Rangers were previously reported to have an interest in the teenager, with the club monitoring his development as part of their focus on recruiting some of the country's most promising academy talent.
However, De Barros opted to remain with St Mirren and has now taken another significant step in his development by making his Premiership debut against Rangers.
Rangers interest in St Mirren teenager
The teenager's emergence had already attracted attention beyond Paisley. De Barros became St Mirren's youngest-ever debutant earlier this month when he came off the bench during the League Cup victory over Dumbarton, despite being just 15 years old.
His performances had reportedly attracted interest from a number of clubs, with Rangers among those keeping tabs on his progress as well as English Premier League champions Arsenal, with whom he trialled with earlier this year.
De Barros chooses St Mirren
Despite interest from Rangers, De Barros remained with St Mirren and has continued his remarkable progression at the Paisley club.
That decision has now been rewarded with his first Premiership appearance.
St Mirren confirmed the milestone on social media, posting: "A William Hill Premiership debut for 15-year-old Marcello De Barros 👏"
The appearance represents another landmark moment for a player who has already broken records at St Mirren before reaching his 16th birthday.
One to watch for Rangers
De Barros' rise is likely to ensure his name remains on the radar of clubs around Scotland and beyond.
His ability to break into St Mirren's first-team picture at such a young age has underlined why he has attracted attention, while his previous Arsenal trial shows that his potential has been recognised outside Scotland too.
Rangers' interest also fits with the club's wider recruitment strategy of identifying young players with the potential to develop into first-team footballers or significant future assets.
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