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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Michael Kightly admits it's hard to believe the "mad year" he has had culminating in his first call-up to the England Under-21 side.

At the start of last season, Kightly was plying his trade in the non-League with Grays Athletic having been rejected by first Spurs and then Southend United as a teenager.

But after being snapped up by Wolves midway through the season, he's completed an amazing transformation of his career by earning a place in Stuart Pearce's squad for Tuesday's international against Romania at Bristol City.

"I have to pinch myself because it's just been a mad year for me," Kightly told TheFA.com. "At the same time, I'm not silly I know it could change for the worse so I'll keep working hard and trying to progress.

"There's a lot of good players in the non-League. It's just whether managers are willing to give them a chance. It's been a mad career and I'm only 21 but hopefully there's more good things to come.

"Stuart Pearce came out of the non-League himself and if I can have anything like the career he's had I will be over the moon."

Kightly does have experience of pulling on an England shirt. He was selected for the National Game XI for a friendly against Forest Green Rovers to open the Conference club's new ground in September last year.

The Basildon-born winger, who was man-of-the-match as Grays won The FA Trophy in 2006, is excited about the opportunity to represent his country on a bigger stage.

Kightly said: "I was buzzing when I heard. Mick McCarthy pulled me a week before saying Stuart Pearce had been on the phone asking about me.

"I was obviously very happy with that. He just said keep your head down keep working hard and see what happens. When I got the call-up I was over the moon. I can't wait to get going."

Having been let go by Spurs at the age of 14, Kightly came through the ranks at Southend making a handful of appearances in the first team at Roots Hall but was released by the club in the summer of 2005.

He moved on to Grays but had a less than auspicious start to his career at the Conference club.

He explained: "In my first game for Grays I got dragged off after about 60 minutes and didn't play until 10 games later so I didn't start too great but after that it went well.

"Wolves came in for me last November. I signed on loan with a view to a permanent transfer and signed a two and a half year contract in January."

And Kightly joined up with the England squad in Bristol fresh from a starring role in Wolves' 3-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday.

"It was good for us to get off the mark. We should have beaten Watford last week but we conceded two goals late on.

"We got a good win and it was nice for me to get on the scoresheet. I was involved in the first as well so it was a good day's work."

Tickets are still on sale priced just £10 adults and £5 concessions from the Ticket Hotline 0871 222 6666 or in person from Ashton Gate.