Patrick Bamford is hoping England’ s Derby connection can help them to victory in Wednesday’s Euro qualifier against Wales at the iPro Stadium.
It is the Three Lions’ final home game of the qualification campaign, with three away trips to Wales, Moldova and Lithuania to come later in the year.
But Bamford, who is one of two Derby County players in Gareth Southgate’s squad, believes England will get good support from the local fans.
England U21s v Wales U21s
UEFA Euro Qualifier
6pm, Wednesday 5 March 2014
iPro Stadium, Derby County
"The crowds have been excellent since I’ve been here and we normally get pretty close to full capacity," he told the official match programme for tonight’s game.
"I was speaking to one of the kitmen [at Derby], who said that the previous Under-21 games that we’ve had at Derby have been full houses, so there should be a great atmosphere."
Bamford is joined in the squad by Derby team-mate Will Hughes, who has been an important player in both Southgate’s squad and Steve McClaren’s promotion chasing Rams team.
And he admits 18-year-old Hughes, who was discovered playing for local Repton School by Derby, has been a real helping hand for him coming into the England squad.
Bamford only received his first Under-21s call-up last November as a late replacement for the suspended Saido Berahino, but his form since has seen him involved for the full trip this time.
Bamford spoke to the media ahead of Wednesday's game
"I get on well with Will, I room with him," explained Bamford, a former student of Nottingham High School himself, who is currently on loan with Derby from parent club Chelsea.
"He can be a nightmare at times, he likes sleeping and is never off his phone.
"We get a lot of stick for going to private schools but I think it is a positive thing!
"But obviously, I know Will [Hughes] from Derby and also Jamaal Lascelles and Nathaniel Chalobah from my time at Nottingham Forest and being at Chelsea.
"I have also played against a lot of the other players at U18 and U19 levels - they all make it easy for me to settle in."
With Wales making the short trip across the border for Wednesday’s game, Bamford believes it will be very much like a local derby in the international sense.
The majority of the Welsh squad play for English clubs, so the match could well be in the vein of a domestic league encounter.
And after coming up against the likes of Moldova, Finland and Lithuania in their qualifying group so far, this will be a different type of test for England.
Bamford made his Under-21s debut against San Marino in November
"I think a lot of the players who play from Wales will be from the same clubs as most of us, so we will know most of them," added Bamford.
"It will be a strange one in comparison to the normal international games that we have, but it will be a good one to be involved in."
You can read a full interview with Bamford in the match programme for the game, which will be on sale around the iPro Stadium.
Tickets for the game are priced at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions and are available on the night at the iPro Stadium.
