Three North-East players named in England Under-21 squad (From The Northern Echo)

Three North-East players named in England Under-21 squad

11:50am Thursday 23rd February 2012 in Sport By Scott Wilson

THREE North-East players have been named in the England Under-21 squad for next week's European Championships qualifier with Belgium at the Riverside.

Middlesbrough duo Jason Steele and Joe Bennett have been selected, and will hope to represent their country on home soil.

Sunderland striker Connor Wickham has also been selected in the squad, which will be led by former Newcastle academy director Brian Eastick, who deputises for Stuart Pearce who is in temporary charge of the senior side.

Eastick said: "Stuart and I have had a good professional relationship having worked together closely during his five years at The FA. Last week I sat down with him to discuss the overall plans for this get-together and careful consideration has been given to the make-up of both the senior and Under-21s squads.

"There are a couple of new faces in the group, with Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha and Hull City's Cameron Stewart coming in for the first time. They both deserve their opportunities after some impressive performances at club level.

"This match is very important to us and one we would dearly like to win, particularly after the loss we suffered away in Belgium back in November.

"That gave Belgium a lifeline in the group and they are now just four points behind us. Therefore, the importance of this game cannot be underestimated if we are to reach our immediate aim of winning the group and going into the play-offs."

Goalkeepers: Ben Amos (Manchester United), Jack Butland (Cheltenham Town - loan from Birmingham City), JASON STEELE (MIDDLESBROUGH)

Defenders: JOE BENNETT (MIDDLESBROUGH), Ryan Bennett (Peterborough United - loan from Norwich City), Steven Caulker (Swansea City - loan from Tottenham), Craig Dawson (West Bromwich Albion), Martin Kelly (Liverpool), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), Adam Smith (Leeds United - loan from Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders: Gary Gardner (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Henri Lansbury (West Ham United - loan from Arsenal), Jason Lowe (Blackburn Rovers), Josh McEachran (Swansea City - loan from Chelsea), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Jonjo Shelvey (Liverpool), Cameron Stewart (Hull City), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)

Forwards: Nathan Delfouneso (Leicester City - loan from Aston Villa), Will Keane (Manchester United), Marvin Sordell (Bolton Wanderers), Connor Wickham (Sunderland)