England Under-21s bid to keep fine record running

England’s Under-21s certainly know their way around the qualifying play-offs for the UEFA Championship Finals, having now won four in a row. 

They are the only country to have qualified for each of the last four tournaments – in 2007 (Holland), 2009 (Sweden), 2011 (Denmark) and 2013 (Israel).

Gareth Southgate’s Young Lions now have a chance to make it five in a row, when they take on Croatia over the two legs of next month’s play-off for a place in the 2015 Finals in Czech Republic.

England, then managed by Peter Taylor, could hardly have drawn more difficult opponents for the 2007 play-offs than the Germans – but Theo Walcott was the star as Taylor’s charges triumphed 3-0 on aggregate. 

This was after a 25-yard screamer from Leighton Baines, watched by more than 30,000 at Coventry City’s Ricoh Arena, had given England a narrow advantage going into the second leg.

Walcott was a super-sub hero with two late goals in the Bayer Arena in Leverkusen as England booked their place in the Finals, where they would reach the last four before going out to their Dutch hosts on penalties. 

The Arsenal teenager burst from the bench on 76 minutes and fired England through with two fine efforts at the end of a nervy game.

Leighton Baines is mobbed by team-mates after his goal against Germany

Neighbours Wales stood in England’s way as Stuart Pearce’s team attempted to qualify for Euro 2009. 

The Welsh were ahead after 13 minutes of the first leg of the play-off in Cardiff but their lead only lasted for six minutes. David Wheater, Adam Johnson and Gabriel Agbonlahor scored in a 3-2 England victory and it was 2-2 in the return at Villa Park four days later.

Tom Huddlestone and a Sam Vokes own goal took the Young Lions through to a tournament in which England reached their third Championship Final, losing 4-0 to Germany in Malmo.

Pearce’s Under-21s didn’t hit the same heights in the Finals of 2011 and 2013, going out at the group stage on both occasions, but they won two very tough play-offs to get there. 

Gabriel Agbonlahor scores as England qualify for Euro 2009

They qualified for the Danish Finals after edging Romania 2-1 before nearly 26,000 fans at Norwich City’s Carrow Road, Jordan Henderson and Chris Smalling scoring either side of a Ryan Bertrand own goal, and then holding out for a gritty 0-0 draw in Botosani.

The play-off with Serbia, which took the team to last year’s Israeli Finals, was similarly hard fought. 

England won both legs 1-0, Craig Dawson netting with a penalty at Carrow Road and substitute Connor Whickham scoring right at the end of a fractious affair in Krusevac.

Tickets are on sale for the Croatia game at Molineux now, priced at just £10 and £5 via the Wolves Ticketline on 0871 222 1877 or online here.

The Squad

Goalkeepers
Jonathan Bond (Watford), Jack Butland (Stoke City), Sam Johnstone (Manchester United).

Defenders 
Calum Chambers (Arsenal), Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur),  Luke Garbutt (Everton), Ben Gibson (Middlesbrough), Carl Jenkinson (West Ham United, on loan from Arsenal), Michael Keane (Burnley, on loan from Manchester United), Jamaal Lascelles (Nottingham Forest, on loan from Newcastle United), Liam Moore (Leicester City), Luke Shaw (Manchester United).

Midfielders
Lewis Baker (Chelsea), Tom Carroll (Swansea City, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Jake Forster-Caskey (Brighton & Hove Albion), Will Hughes (Derby County), Thomas Ince (Hull City), Alex Pritchard (Brentford, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Nathan Redmond (Norwich City).

Forwards
Patrick Bamford (Middlesbrough, on loan from Chelsea), Saido Berahino (West Bromwich Albion), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Cauley Woodrow (Fulham).