England v France
UEFA Euro U21 Championship
Play-Off, First-Leg
Tottenham Hotspur FC
7.30pm, 11 November 2005		 France v England
UEFA Euro U21 Championship
Play-Off, Second-Leg
Stade Marcel Picot, Nancy
8.00pm, 15 November 2005

Remaining tickets go on sale at White Hart Lane at 6pm on Friday evening.

Michael Dawson is relishing the chance to put on the Three Lions shirt at White Hart Lane for the England Under-21s in their crucial European Championship play-off against France.

Dawson has wasted no time making an immediate impact in the Premiership with Tottenham and is set to lead the England defence back in north London on Friday night.

The talented central defender knows the importance of the two-legged clash against an impressive France side who won Group 4 and are also desperate to qualify for the finals next May.

But Dawson knows there will be thousands of Tottenham fans in the crowd and their support will prove invaluable in helping Peter Taylor’s side throughout the ninety minutes.

Dawson said: “I am a young lad and these are exciting times for me. I am going back to White Hart Lane with the England shirt on.

“It does make it extra special that I am playing the game at the club where I play every week. I’m sure there will be a lot of Spurs fans there and supporters from a number of other clubs. It will be nice and they will all be cheering us.

“I’m sure they will turn out in their thousands on Friday night and I have already been told that 30,000 tickets have been sold for the game, so it will be great and I know who they will be supporting as well.

“It shows the quality that we have at Tottenham that a number of our players are involved in the England set-up.

“The chairman and the manager have brought in a number of young English players so it’s a great club to be at and these are exciting times. If you can do well for your club and then play well for the Under-21s we are all thinking about moving up to the senior squad.

“I am realistic and know there are a lot of top class players out there. At the moment I have just got to concentrate on my club football and take it step-by-step. Hopefully I can help the Under-21s qualify.”

Dawson will never forget his experience of training with the senior squad when he was handed a shock call-up by Sven-Goran Eriksson three years ago.

And he knows his dream of securing a permanent place in the senior party can become even closer if he helps England qualify for the European Championships.

Dawson added: “I look at the seniors and think that is where I want to be playing one day. I was like that as a young lad wanting to play in the Premiership and I am doing that at the moment.

“It was a great feeling for me to get called into the senior squad three years ago and that was just before my birthday.

“I had played just a handful of games with Forest and a couple of games for the Under-21s.

“Mr Eriksson invited me to take part in a training session so it was great to look around and see the players I was training with. I loved every minute of it. I had a smile on my face for days.”

England have been hit by a succession of injuries in the build-up to the game, but Dawson knows the importance of having Kieran Richardson and Darren Bent back in the squad following their successful promotion up to the senior squad.

He said: “They are great players and that is why they have been in the senior squad. I’m sure they will go out there and want to put on a good performance.

“The senior game is a friendly so they have come down to the Under-21s and hopefully they can help us along the way and get a win.

“Benty is a great lad. He just wants to get out there and play. He has done very well in the Premiership since he signed for Charlton and I’m sure he was over the moon when he got called into the seniors.

“France are a good side and that is why they finished top of their group. We have seen videos of them in action and know it will be a tough game.”

If you miss out of tickets to the game, both legs will be screened live on Sky Sports.

Ticket Details - England v France, 11 November 2005

You can buy your tickets from the ground from 6pm prior to the game. Arrive early to avoid disappointment.