Colchester United handed a debut to teenage goalkeeper Ted Collins

Some 24 hours later, the teenage goalkeeper enjoyed the sweet feeling of making his senior debut for the U's - and helped them get out of a jam.

The 6ft 3in shot-stopper found himself well and truly in at the deep end in Colchester's 1-1 draw with Swindon Town, on Saturday.

Collins came on in the 74th minute, following Shamal George's red card for violent conduct.

And soon the U's academy product was part of a U's side that found themselves down to nine men, following Luke Chambers' red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity.

But Collins did not let anyone down and produced a brave performance, including playing his part in the lead-up to Emyr Huws' dramatic stoppage-time equaliser.

So who is Ted Collins?

Collins grew up and still lives in Wivenhoe and was a pupil at Broomgrove School, before attending the Colne College in Brightlingsea.

He joined the Colchester Academy at the age of ten, having played locally for Wivenhoe Youth.

Having earned himself a scholarship with the U’s as he progressed from the under-16s, he was in competition with Callum Coulter for the under-18 keeper’s spot.

Collins then played numerous good games for the under-23s over recent years and during that time, has also had loan spells at Maldon and Tiptree and Holland FC.

Brian Waller, who has been watching the U's for more than 60 years and reports on their academy matches on a weekly basis, has watched Collins progress through the age groups at Florence Park.

He said: "Probably before Colchester United played Swindon Town, most people had never heard of keeper Ted Collins or seen him play before.

"Luckily I had, as I had watched his progress through the age groups at the Colchester United.

"My first viewing of him was way back in April 2017 when he played for an under-14s team in a match at Burnham-on-Crouch when his team won 10-1.

"His side that day included other current members of the U’s squad in Tom Stagg, Kacy Parish, Gene Kennedy and Todd Miller who the U’s sold to Brighton.

"Over the next few years I got to know Ted and his father Paul quite well as the latter often gave me lifts back from youth team matches at either Tiptree or Maldon.

"A few years ago, I was invited by his father to go to Wivenhoe to see him play again for his local Wivenhoe Youth side against a past Tottenham Hotspur team and he was the star of his team, that day, too.

"The match against Swindon will be the one that Ted remembers most, as that was when he made his first team debut after the regular keeper Shamal George was shown a red card and was sent off.

"Ted was on the bench that day before the match he waved to me sitting in my lofty seat at the back of South Stand 4, little knowing what an afternoon he would have.

"He had to come on as the substitute keeper and play for the last 20 or so minutes of the match."

Collins, who has been a substitute for Colchester previously this season and also on the final day of last season at Tranmere Rovers, will now be hoping to build on his dramatic debut.

He earned praise from U's interim assistant manager Joe Dunne, who was delighted with the teenager's performance against Swindon.

“A 19-year-old making his debut in that sort of situation, to face that Swindon side and the balls coming into the box," said Dunne.

"Congratulations to the young man.

"His family will be very proud, we're very proud here and it's another young lad who's made his debut.

"May he enjoy it - he's earned it.

"A 19-year-old making his debut in that situation, to face that kind of Swindon side and the balls coming in the box.

"He was brave, as a young goalkeeper.

"I thought his pass that led to the corner was very good; it was a good free-kick against a very high line.

"He put it into exactly the position that you'd want it and he was brave, coming off his line."

Collins is destined for a productive career in the game.

But whatever happens in the coming years, he is unlikely to forget his debut in a hurry.