POOLE-born talent Ben White has been named in England’s provisional squad for this summer’s European Championship. The 23-year-old grew up in the south, attending Queen Elizabeth’s School in Wimborne, while also playing football for county side Poole and East Dorset. White has been named in Gareth Southgate’s inflated 33-man selection, which will be whittled down to 26 next week ahead of the delayed Euro 2020 getting underway on June 11. Discussing his earliest memories of football,
Ben White said: “In the garden with my mum. I’d be playing out there and she’d be hanging the washing up or something like that and I’d tell her to get in goal and boot the ball at her! She’d stay out there for hours with me.”
Asked when he first started playing as part of a team,
Ben White added: “I joined a little local side on a Sunday, played that for a season or so. I was playing midfield. Then I had a trial at Southampton at the end of that season.”
Asked who was in Saints’ academy at the same time as him,
Ben White continued: “I think (Alex Oxlade) Chamberlain, Prowsey (James Ward-Prowse), (Jack) Stephens, who are all playing in the Premier League now. They’re not really my age, they were three years older than me, but they were the ones that I was watching. After training they would be playing on the Saturday and I’d watch all their games.”
White failed to make the grade at Saints, let go as a teenager. But he quickly found a new home, joining Brighton’s academy in 2014. He spent time out on loan at Newport County and Peterborough United, before his successful season with Leeds. Discussing his release from Saints,
Ben White said: “It was hard. I didn’t get anything at 16. You’re just booted out and that’s it really. You’re done and you’ve got to find your own way back. Luckily I managed to do that and get my trial at Brighton.”
White is one of six centre-backs in the provisional England squad. He is competing with the likes of John Stones, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Conor Coady and Ben Godfrey for a place in the final 26-man group.
