Huddersfield Town keeper Smithies' fitness in focus

May 18 2009 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

ALEX SMITHIES’ England fate rests with the physio staff at Town and the Football Association.

The teenage goalkeeping ace is due to link up with the national Under 19 squad for three European Championship elite-round qualifiers this Friday.

But the homegrown star is still battling a shoulder injury, and Clark wants to be sure he is fully recovered.

England face Bosnia at Doncaster on Wednesday, May 27, Slovakia at Bradford on Friday 29 and Scotland at Sheffield United on Monday, June 1.

Success in the mini league would put England through to the eight-strong final stages in Ukraine in July.

“It’s not a serious injury, more of a niggle, and Alex is responding to treatment from Dave Buckby,” reported Clark.