ENGLAND C boss Paul Fairclough has named his first squad of the 2013/14 season.
The Lions take on Latvia’s Under-23 side away on Tuesday, September 10, and Fairclough has selected 16 of Non-League‘s finest for the friendly.
The squad includes a numerous new faces, with only three of the squad having represented their country before.
Braintree’s Nathan McDonald played for the Lions against Russie, while Mitchell Walker and James Norwood both featured against Bermuda, with the latter scoring a hat-trick.
Matty Taylor of Forest Green was due to play against Albania last October but the game was cancelled due to torrential rain on the day of the fixture.
England C squad for Latvia
Nathan McDonald – Braintree Town
Mitchell Walker – Dover Athletic
Joe Oastler – Aldershot Town
Bradley Wood – Alfreton Town
Ben Richards-Everton – Tamworth
Cheyenne Dunkley – Kidderminster Harriers
Daniel Andrew – Macclesfield Town
Gareth Dean – Nuneaton Town
Keanu Marsh-Brown – Barnet
Harrison Dunk – Cambridge United
Ryan Donaldson – Cambridge United
Luke Berry – Cambridge United
James Armson – Nuneaton Town
Jake Hyde – Barnet FC
James Norwood – Forest Green Rovers
Mattty Taylor – Forest Green Rovers
England’s next test will then come at home to the Czech Republic Under-21 side in November and they will play one more friendly in March next year.
The Lions will then move into competitive action, kicking off their International Challenge Trophy campaign with a trip to Slovakia in May 2014
In October 2014 they travel to Turkey, who beat them 1-0 in the semi-finals of the competition last season, before finishing the group stages at home to Estonia in November.
Speaking about the fixture schedule, Fairclough said: “Whilst it does appear to be a long wait until the Slovakia match this does give me the opportunity to look at a number of new faces, and i will be taking 12 new players to Latvia.
“We also have a home friendly in November with the Czech Republic Under 21 side which will be another tough test. By the time we get to the March friendly match I will have a good idea of who will form the basis of the squad going into what will be three very competitive ICT matches.
“We have beaten Estonia 1-0 a couple of years ago and we have a score to settle with Turkey after our semi final in February.
“The opening fixture in Slovakia will be interesting as it will be the first meeting between the sides in this competition.”
For more reaction the England C squad, including an interview with Cambridge United’s Luke Berry, make sure you pick up a copy of The Non-League Paper this Sunday!
