YOUNGSTER Tyron Leigh feels he has already improved as a player during his time with Chippenham Town and is savouring the opportunity to cut his teeth at Hardenhuish Park.

The defender left Swindon Town’s academy before joining the Bluebirds’ U18 side last summer and quickly rose through the ranks, featuring twice for Chippenham Park before being handed his first-team debut in the Red Insure Cup against Merthyr Town last November, just four days after his 17th birthday.

Leigh has gone on to make six more starts for Mark Collier’s Chippenham and reckons that he is at the perfect place to continue his footballing education.

“I left Swindon because I wasn’t enjoying my football at the time. I know (former Swindon Town defender) Sean O’Hanlon, who’s at Carlisle now, and he said that Chippenham Town would be a good club to go to,” said Leigh, who is a student at New College, in Swindon.

“I spoke to my dad about it and we decided that it would be a good decision.

“My aim was to try and get in to the first team and I know that to be playing at this level when you’re 18 or 19 is pretty good.

“I was a bit nervous before that game over at Merthyr but as soon as I got on the pitch, it all went.

“I’m young but I think that I’ve improved as a player already because playing against older players with a lot more experience has helped me.

“I’m enjoying things and I’m thankful to have the opportunity to play. I want to try to keep playing well and keep improving.”

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