Ashley Cole makes his post-split social debut

It looks like Ashley Cole is trying to move on after being dumped by his wife, Cheryl.

The football star was out on the town for the first time since his sensational alleged sex-texting cheating scandal.

He made a 'post-split social debut' at his brother Matthew's top-secret birthday party in Essex, over the weekend.

"All eyes were on Ashley when he was ushered through by two burly bouncers on the door. Everyone rushed to hug him," the Mirror quoted a party guest as saying.

"Ashley said as long as he has his family nothing else matters. It was the first time he was really smiling. Ashley's main priority is now getting fit and helping England win the World Cup. He stuck to soft drinks and orange juice while everyone else had champagne and beer at the top security venue.

"Everyone was patting him on the back and saying how worried they had been about him and how it was the happiest they had seen him. He looked relieved that things were finally moving on," the guest added.