And if the 18-year-old Port Saints junior can keep reminding himself of it, the sky is the limit.

“You’ve got to stay humble,” father Brett revealed.

“He has done that and has that characteristic where he doesn’t take anything for granted.”

Thurgate returned to Australia mid last week after playing an important role in the Young Socceroos AFC under-19 championship campaign.

They missed their chance at qualifying for the under-20 World Cup after a 3-1 quarter-final defeat at the hands of Saudi Arabia.

But it wasn’t all doom and gloom for Thurgate in the tournament as he scored his first goal in green and gold colours with his parents watching on from the stands.

“I’m glad we were there because there was only about 20 people in the crowd,” father, Brett, said.

“It was a moment that myself and Anne reflected on quite a bit and how unreal it was that he had just done that.”

His first goal as a Socceroo came in a 2-1 victory over Vietnam on October 22.

It backed up his first goal as a Newcastle Jet in a 2-1 pre-season friendly loss to Sydney FC in September.

Thurgate started in all of the Young Socceroos matches in Indonesia, playing at least 60 minutes in each fixture.

But his dad simply described the path so far from Port Saints through the ranks to the Emerging Jets, into the Newcastle Jets and now the Young Socceroos as “surreal.”

“His opportunity to be first considered for the squad, then selected in the squad, then to start all games and play a significant part in the competition was just surreal,” he said.

Thurgate has shown up-and-coming players around the Hastings that anything is possible with hard work and dedication.

It’s not something that is lost on the family.

“We recognise and are proud that (Angus) has shown kids in our area that there is a pathway and you don’t take things for granted; it doesn’t matter how good you are,” he said.

The teenager’s level-headedness has impressed everyone – including Jets coach Ernie Merrick and chief executive Lawrie McKinna.

“I know that every time he stepped out on that pitch for the Young Socceroos he was proud and knew it may not happen again,” Mr Thurgate said.

“We’re just happy that he’s worked hard and we instill in him that any time you get an opportunity you work hard and take what comes your way.

“It’s important to handle disappointment, but not get carried away with success either.”

There has been one way the A-League club have ensured the teenager’s feet remain on the ground.

He might have escaped water-bottle filling and ball-collecting duties after training, but there is one duty that he still hasn’t avoided.

"I still have to set up the goals every morning," he joked on Thursday after training.

"I got out of collecting the balls and the water bottles though."

Thurgate also made a nuisance of himself in the Jets 1-all draw with Sydney FC on Saturday night.

He came on as a substitute with about 10 minutes remaining and posed a few questions of the Sky Blues’ defence.

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