England

v

Romania

 

 

Nationwide Under-21 International Friendly
7.45pm, Tuesday 21 August 2007
Bristol City FC, Ashton Gate
Ticket Hotline 0871 222 6666
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Fresh from their UEFA Championship challenge, TheFA.com can reveal that England's Under-21s will start the new season with a game against Romania at Bristol City's Ashton Gate on Tuesday 21 August.

The fixture will be the first since England were knocked out of the Championship by hosts Holland at the Semi-Final stage after a dramatic and agonising 13-12 penalty shoot-out.

The team drew many plaudits for their performances in Holland and the game in Bristol will provide a chance for England supporters to see many of the young stars from the tournament in action alongside a new crop of younger players hoping to impress.

Bristol City chief executive Colin Sexstone said: “We’ve been working very hard over the years to bring the Under-21s back to Ashton Gate and we’re absolutely delighted to be hosting another fixture in August.

“The Under-21s did extremely well in the European Championships recently and were unlucky to go out on penalties. This is the ideal time to host the Under-21s, with the team firmly in the public eye at present.”

It will be the fourth match between the two countries at Under-21 level. England have won three times and drawn once, coming out on top 3-0 in the last encounter, a European Championship qualifier at Ipswich in September 1985.

Ashton Gate has played host to two previous Under-21 matches. In 1985, England beat Turkey 3-0. In 1997, Darren Eadie scored past Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon to secure a 1-0 victory.

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Wednesday 27 June from the Ticket Hotline 0871 222 6666, priced £10 adults and £5 concessions, or in person from Ashton Gate. Click on the links at the top of the page for details of group bookings.

The match will provide England with preparation before the beginning of the qualifying campaign for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championships. England open their bid to reach the Finals in Sweden with an away double-header against Montenegro and Bulgaria in September.