YOUNG David Mirfin is aiming to crown his first full season in League football with a promotion place.

The 18-year-old defender looks a star in the making and is benefiting from having so many centre halves to seek advice from!

They cannot go out there and play for him, however, so the Academy product deserves tremendous credit for looking completely at home amid the pressure of a Third Division promotion push.

"I'm pleased with how it's going, but as long as the team are winning and picking up points we are all happy," said the Sheffield-born centre-back.

"I thought I did okay earlier in the season when I got the chance to replace Steve Yates when he was injured, and I've now settled in to playing sweeper because of Nathan Clarke being out.

"It's a tremendous help to have people of the experience of Yatesy and Efe Sodje to play alongside, and I've learned a lot from listening to other experienced players like Rob Edwards as well.

"Strangely enough, I think what happened at Northampton has actually helped me to do the job.

"I wasn't sure exactly what I needed to be doing when we went into that game, but with that 40 minutes or so under my belt before it was called off, it really helped me to get things right in the next match.

"I'm just keen to keep doing my best now until the end of the season and, if we win promotion, then I don't think any of us can ask any more."

Mirfin says manager Peter Jackson and coach Terry Yorath have been a massive help in a season when he has started 19 Third Division games plus two Cup-ties.

"Playing for the gaffer is unbelievable," said Mirfin.

"Iffy Onuora has just come back to the club and says the gaffer is just like he was when he was a player.

"Having been a top player himself, and a centre-back as well, he knows what I'm going through, and Taff is one of the best coaches around, so it's really good - especially for us young lads.

"Everyone is enjoying the season and, considering all the problems the club was having away from football right up to the first match, I think it would have been fine for us just to have a settled season.

"The way we have gone about the job from the off, though, has meant we are now in a position to go for automatic promotion and that would cap a great season for the club."

Mirfin made his debut only on the final day of last season, playing as a substitute against Oldham, and from that moment onwards he has looked the part at first-team level.

Big and strong, he reads the game well and is fearless in the challenge - aerial or otherwise.

Mirfin is quick, too, which is why Jackson had no fear of trusting him with the sweeper's role.

"Having basically been a marker, I'm enjoying being sweeper now that I've got to grips with it," he added.

"As long as I help get the right results - because I think we all realise it's about results now, rather than performances - then that will be fine.

"Considering we were down to nine men at Orient, I thought it was a brilliant result, especially with the way things went for us up and down the country.

"We obviously set out with the intention of winning, and I agree with the gaffer that we probably would if it hadn't been for the sendings off, but the point enabled us to keep our advantage on the rest."

FOLLOWING this week's trip to Burnley, Town Reserves return to the McAlpine on Wednesday (2pm) when the visitors are Pawel Abbott's old teammates from Preston North End.