European Challenge Trophy
Cambridge United FC
15 February 2005, 7.45pm

Whilst Burton Albion’s FA Cup journey finally ended at Old Trafford last night, any disappointment will be short-lived for three of their players after they were called-up for International duty today.

The England National Game XI - who are comprised of players under the age of 23 outside the Football League - take on their Italian counterparts at Cambridge United on Wednesday 15 February, and Shaun Harrad, Ryan Austin and John Shaw have all been called-up for the first time into Paul Fairclough’s initial 26 player squad.

Shaw (pictured left) had to leave the field at Old Trafford last night after only 27 minutes after a nasty injury sustained in a clash with Manchester United's Phil Bardsley, but the prospect of a first England cap will hopefully nullify any pain still felt this morning. 

Another of the eleven new call-ups who has also recently experienced The FA Cup limelight is Tamworth midfielder Dave Bampton, who will be hoping to make the final cut on 1 February when Fairclough whittles his squad down to sixteen players.

Former Arsenal youth goalkeeper Craig Holloway is another notable new call-up. Holloway was capped at England U15 and U16 level and won The FA Youth Cup with the young Gunners in 2001, in a team which also featured Jermaine Pennant, Steve Sidwell, Jerome Thomas, Moritz Volz and Jeremie Aliadiere.

Holloway is now playing for Gravesend & Northfleet and will be fighting with Baghdad born Woking ‘keeper Shwan Jalal and Exeter City’s Paul Jones for a place in the final squad.

The Morecambe duo of Chris Blackburn and David Perkins, Accrington’s Ian Craney (below) and Hereford United’s Rob Purdie are the only survivors from the last meeting between the two sides, a 1-0 England victory in Ivrea in November 2004, with the Italian players selected from Serie ‘C’ clubs.

The fixture at The Abbey Stadium is the second game for both sides in the inaugural European Challenge Trophy, which also features representative sides from Belgium and Holland.

England are unbeaten in their last seven games, including winning the Four Nations tournament in Cork last May, with victories over Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.

This year’s Four Nations Tournament is scheduled to be played in England between 21-28 May, with venues to be confirmed at the end of February.

England Squad:

Ian Craney and Gary Roberts (Accrington Stanley), Ryan Austin, Shaun Harrad and Jon Shaw (Burton Albion), Craig Mackail-Smith (Dagenham & Redbridge), Paul Jones, Billy Jones and Craig Farrell (Exeter City), Craig Holloway (Gravesend & Northfleet), Tyrone Thompson (Halifax Town), Tamika Mkandawire and Rob Purdie (Hereford United), David Perkins and Chris Blackburn (Morecambe), Michael Carr and Kieron Charnock (Northwich Victoria), Carl Baker (Southport), George Boyd and Ronnie Henry (Stevenage Borough), David Bampton (Tamworth), Karl Murray and Shwan Jalal (Woking), Steven Wales (Yeading), Andrew Bishop and Clayton Donalson (York City)

The European Challenge Trophy

15 November 2005   
Belgium 0-2 England (FC Wavre)   

30 November 2005  
Holland 2-1Italy (FC Lisse)   

15 February 2006
England v Italy (Cambridge United FC)   

20 February 2006   
Holland v Belgium (TBC) 

November 2006
England v Holland (Burton Albion FC)
Italy v Belgium - TBC