IPSWICH: It may have been a night to forget for the up and coming young players at Ipswich Town Football Club - but it was one to remember for 11-year-old Kyle Messenger.

IPSWICH: It may have been a night to forget for the up and coming young players at Ipswich Town Football Club - but it was one to remember for 11-year-old Kyle Messenger.

For he was chosen to be the club mascot for the evening yesterday when the Suffolk club took on Fulham in the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup.

He had won the chance to take centre stage after taking part in a competition organised by the Evening Star, who sponsored coverage of the match with Glasswells.

Although Ipswich were licking their wounds from a 3-1 defeat, Kyle, of Orchard Road, Leiston, went home with great memories of linking up with the team.

The Leiston Middle School pupil was able to take to the Portman Road pitch for a pre-match warm-up with the youth squad before posing for a team photo with the likes of Connor Wickham, one of his favourite players, Billy Clark, Ronan Murray and captain Luke Hyam.

It was then VIP treatment for him along with his mum Sarah as they watched the game from the vantage point of the director's box.

Kyle, who plays in midfield and also on the forward line for Sky FC, said his dream is to one day play for Ipswich on the hallowed turf of Portman Road.

So how did he sum up his experience of being the mascot for the evening? In just one word: “Awesome!”