NOW he's had a taste of first-team football, Tom Clarke can't wait for more.

The 17-year-old from Sowerby Bridge was handed his Town debut in last week's 2-1 defeat by MK Dons at the National Hockey Stadium.

He let no-one down on a day manager Peter Jackson was forced, through injuries, to employ arguably the youngest back line in club history.

Regular as a centre-back in the Academy and Reserves, Tom filled the right-back slot with brother Nathan (21) and David Mirfin (19) taking the central positions against Izale McLeod and Clive Platt.

When Rob Edwards went off suffering an injury to his right leg, the 20-year-old Adnan Ahmed slotted in at left-back - giving an average age of 19 for the defence.

"I enjoyed every minute of it, apart from their goal at the end and the final result," said Tom, who only earned a place on the bench for the Reserves in September.

"It has all come very quickly for me, but if I can get some more appearances in the rest of the season then I'll be more than happy.

"I know it's just a start and there's a lot of hard work ahead, but hopefully it's the first of many appearances."

Tom was told on Friday that he'd be starting against Danny Wilson's side.

"We were doing some work with the back four on Thursday and the gaffer put me in at right-back, so I was hoping I might get a chance," he explained.

"The manager then pulled me on one side on Friday and told me I'd be playing.

"I was a bit nervous, but I slept well on Friday night and it felt great to be playing in the game.

"I saw my dad just before we got to the ground and he told me to concentrate, and I knew my mum would be listening on the radio so hopefully they were proud of us.

"It was a big thrill, especially with Nathan alongside me.

"We know each other well in any case, but he talked to me through the game and it helped a lot.

"Chris Brandon, on my side, was also a big help. He talked a lot and said I'd done well, so I was pleased.

"The only shame was the result. It was a sickener for all the lads."

Over 1,000 Town fans made the trip to Milton Keynes and Tom added: "It was great playing in front of a decent-sized crowd, but it was a difficult game because of the wind.

"The stadium was so open that the wind just blew straight down the pitch, and it was really bad in the second half when we were playing straight into the face of it.

"Like I've said, though, it just felt great to be playing for the first team, I enjoyed it very much and it was only the result which left me disappointed."

The Clarke's were only the fourth set of brothers to play together for Town at senior level following Willie and Albert Watson (1946), Sam and Simon Collins (1996) and Efe and Akpo Sodje this season.

Other sets of brothers - the Taylors in the 50s and Seniors in the 90s - have been on the books at the same time but not featured together in the first team, while Clem and George Stephenson both managed the club (the latter never played).