Town defender Tyrone Mings admits he is still pinching himself after the way his life has changed dramatically in less than a year.

Mings was plucked from non-league Chippenham Town, where he combined playing with working as a mortgage broker, to land a full-time deal at Portman Road.

A former Southampton academy kid, Bath-born Mings admitted: “I think about it every single day. I wake up and think how grateful I am to have been given the opportunity to be a professional footballer.

“I still speak to people I was with at Southampton and people I’ve known on my journey from school. There are people playing non-league football who feel they should be playing at a higher level and all you can say to them is ‘Keep going’.

“I never really had a mentor — no one really has a mentor coming out of non-league, they just want to work hard and get an opportunity, which I was lucky enough to get.”

Mings stood in for the suspended Aaron Cresswell at Blackpool on Saturday and is set to deputise again when Leicester visit Portman Road on November 23rd and the left-back completes his two-match ban.

That will be his fifth first-team appearance, but his first at home, and he added: “I’m looking forward to that, playing at home in front of our crowd. It’s just one of those things that my appearances so far have all come away from home.”

But before that Mings will use this week’s international break to catch up with his old mates during a trip home to the west country.

He said: “I still look to see how my former clubs, Yate and Chippenham, are getting on and how the league is progressing.

“I can’t say I ever experienced international breaks when I was at non-league level. It will be good to have some time off, although now that I’ve got an opportunity to play I’m not sure if that is a good thing or not.

“I’ll have a look to see who Yate and Chippenham are playing and also fixtures involving other guys I played with who have moved on. It will be good to catch up with some old friends.

“I don’t have any of them asking me to put in a good word for them with the manager here at Ipswich. Anyway, I’m just trying to worry about myself at the moment. I wouldn’t want to recommend someone and then they come in and take my place!”

Photo: Action Images

Rentaghost added 07:25 - Nov 13 If he keeps pinching himself it will only turn into a nasty bruise.
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Mark added 07:28 - Nov 13 It's nice to read a footballer appreciating their position, as many seem to take it for granted and live a 'footballer's lifestyle' at a very young age before they have really made it, meaning they never do. McCarthy certainly talks in glowing terms of Mings, so I think he will make it at ITFC and could turn out to be one of our best signings of recent times.
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ChrisMakin2012 added 09:34 - Nov 13 Not even that good!
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essextractorboy93 added 11:24 - Nov 13 Mings has looked pretty solid every time he has come into the side for someone. Just shows there is talent in the lower leagues. Some people develop late or just haven't been picked up yet. Also it seems his attitude since he came to the club has been very good.
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bohslegend added 12:35 - Nov 13 This is one of those things that MM deserves more credit for. It was a no brainer, a good young player, ex Southampton academy, playing non league, potential to improve over time. MM made a quick decision - get him in. Good judge of player potential, willing to use young untested talent, because let's face it, we can't splash the cash on anyone else. Previous managers went looking at premier league reserve games for players. MM goes to lower divisions to spot the diamonds in the dirt. MM takes a lot of stick on here from the "experts" but when you look at all the little things he does well, you have to admit we have an excellent manager.

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dawoolah added 13:03 - Nov 13 Totally agree with most comments on here (apart from the obvious) I'm sure having had experience of a normal 9.00-5.00 job makes Tyrone appreciate the opportunity he's got. Keep up the good work kid, you really seem to have made a good impression since your move to PR!
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