EX-CHIPPENHAM Town boss Adie Mings was brimming with pride to see his son Tyrone make his Championship debut last weekend.

The 20-year-old defender was handed his professional bow by Tractor Boys boss Mick McCarthy on Saturday as he played the full 90 minutes in Ipswich’s 2-0 loss at Burnley, less than five months after making a sensational switch to Portman Road from non-league Chippenham in December.

Mings senior was in the stands at Turf Moor to watch his son and says that he has advised the former Southampton and Bristol Rovers trainee to stay humble as he continues to live the professional dream.

“We found out on the Thursday and I rushed up with my mate Tommy Callinan (former Bluebirds’ assistant manager) to watch him – seeing him come out to warm-up was a proud moment,” said Mings senior.

“I spoke to him on the morning of the game and he said that he didn’t feel any nerves.

“He looked comfortable and used the ball well.

“He’s always had the ability but just needed someone to give him a shot and I’m immensely proud to see him fulfilling his potential.

“We’ve driven thousands of miles over the years to take him to football, and he’s had his knock-backs, but he’s kept on working hard.

“I’ve said to him that all he needs to do now is stay grounded and keep turning up to every training session ready to keep on working and learning.”

Rookie Mings said: “I enjoyed every minute of it and the intensity was higher than any other game I’d played in.

“Obviously both teams were safe before the game, so maybe it wasn’t as intense as it may have been if we were both scrapping for our lives, but it was still great to be out there.

“I’d heard rumours earlier in the week that I might be included and surprisingly the nerves didn’t seem to kick in!

“I thought I did okay for my first game and did what was asked of me. I enjoyed playing in front of a large crowd and although the result didn’t go our way, I’m delighted on a personal level to have made my debut at the professional level.

“It’s been a strange season for me, but a great one at that. I started it playing non-league football and being a mortgage advisor and now I’ve finished it as a professional footballer with Ipswich, playing in the Championship at Turf Moor.”

  • CHIPPENHAM Town’s Alan Griffin picked up his second award of the season at the club’s presentation evening on Saturday.

The Bluebirds’ top-scorer, who was revealed as the supporters’ player of the year at the final game of the season, was also named manager’s player of the year by Chippenham chief Nathan Rudge.

Toby Osman was handed the young player of the year award while Ashley Williams was revealed as the supporters’ club player of the year.

Iain Harvey was named as the players’ player of the season last week.