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

You can buy your tickets for the home-leg by calling the ticket hotline 0870 420 5000 or buy online at www.spurs.co.uk.

Darren Bent and Kieran Richardson have been included in the England Under-21 squad for the upcoming European Under-21 Championship play-off against France.

They join Spurs trio Aaron Lennon, Michael Dawson and Tom Huddlestone who will be looking to make their mark on home ground at White Hart Lane in the first-leg on Friday 11 November.

The return leg will be played at the Stade Marcel Picot in Nancy on Tuesday 15 November, with kick-off at 9pm local time.

Bent has an outstanding scoring record for the Under-21s, notching eight goals in 12 appearances, many of them as substitute, while Richardson has impressed in his four appearances on the left side of midfield.

Taylor said: “I’m delighted to have Darren and Kieran back in the squad. Both of them played an important part in getting us to the play-offs and players of their quality will certainly add to the squad.

“They have done extremely well to get into the senior squad but Sven and I both felt that it was important for them to be part of the Under-21s set-up for what will be two very testing matches.

"All the Under-21s players will be encouraged by the fact that, if they perform well, Sven is a manager who will give young players a chance.

“We know France will be a tough challenge for us. They always produce outstanding young players and finished top of a very competitive group. However, we have played some really exciting attacking football this season and confidence is high.

“I know the Spurs players in particular will be looking forward to playing in front of their home crowd, and we will want to make home advantage count in the first leg.”

Sven-Goran Eriksson said: “These play-off matches are big occasions and it was important for Darren and Kieran’s international experience to play against one of the best young teams in Europe.

"They are both still very much part of my plans for the senior squad but I know they will be looking forward to showing what they can do in competitive games against top-class opposition.”

England finished second in Group 6 behind Germany, finishing with 21 points after winning six, drawing three and losing one of their ten group matches.

France won Group 4 which also included Switzerland, Israel, Republic of Ireland and Cyprus, winning six, drawing one and losing one of their eight matches. The French squad includes four English-based players: Arsenal full-back Gael Clichy, Chelsea midfielder Lassana Diarra, and strikers Anthony Le Tallec of Sunderland and Florent Sinama Pongolle of Liverpool.

The other play-offs pit Serbia & Montenegro against Croatia, Ukraine against Belgium, Russia against Denmark, Czech Republic against Germany, Slovenia against Holland, Hungary against title holders Italy, and Switzerland against Portugal.

The eight play-off winners qualify for next year's Championship, which will run from 25 May to 6 June. Italy and Portugal have bid to host the tournament.

Name

Club

DoB

Caps

Goals

Goalkeepers

Lee Camp

Derby County

22.08.84

3

0

Scott Carson

Liverpool

03.09.85

16

0

Luke Steele

Manchester United

24.09.84

0

0

Defenders

Leighton Baines

Wigan Athletic

11.12.84

5

0

Curtis Davies

West Bromwich Albion

15.03.85

0

0

Michael Dawson

Tottenham Hotspur

18.11.83

11

1

Anton Ferdinand

West Ham United

18.02.85

8

0

Justin Hoyte

Sunderland (loan)

20.11.84

7

0

Nedum Onuoha

Manchester City

30.11.86

1

0

Ryan Taylor

Wigan Athletic

19.08.84

2

0

Steven Taylor

Newcastle United

23.01.86

9

3

Peter Whittingham

Derby County (loan)

08.09.84

11

2

Midfielders

Darren Ambrose

Charlton Athletic

29.02.84

7

1

Tom Huddlestone

Wolves (loan)

28.12.86

5

0

Aaron Lennon

Tottenham Hotspur

16.04.87

2

0

James Milner

Aston Villa (loan)

04.01.86

15

1

Gary O'Neil

Portsmouth

18.05.83

8

0

Nigel Reo-Coker

West Ham United

14.05.84

11

0

Kieran Richardson

Manchester United

21.10.84

4

0

Jerome Thomas

Charlton Athletic

23.03.83

2

1

John Welsh

Hull City (loan)

10.10.84

6

1

Forwards

Dean Ashton

Norwich City

24.11.83

7

4

Darren Bent

Charlton Athletic

06.02.84

12

8

Carlton Cole

Chelsea

12.10.83

17

6

Cameron Jerome

Cardiff City

14.08.86

1

0

Luke Moore

Aston Villa

13.02.86

1

0