Alex Smithies set for England U-19 Euro call-up

Jun 26 2009 By Doug Thomson

LEE CLARK says it would be a major surprise if Alex Smithies isn’t called up by England for the European Under 19 Championships in Ukraine.

That would rule the talented teenager out of a crucial phase of Town’s preparations for the new League I campaign, which get under way on Monday.

But the Galpharm manager believes that inconvenience would be outweighed by the benefits of the 19-year-old being involved.

Brian Eastick’s Young Lions – also likely to include Martin Kelly, the Liverpool defender Clark would like back on loan – take on Switzerland on Tuesday, July 21, the night Town host Newcastle, Ukraine on Friday 24 (live on Eurosport) and Slovenia on Monday 27.

The top two in the group (the other section is made up of France, Spain, Serbia and Turkey) go through to the semis on Thursday, July 30 with the final on Sunday, August 2.

Town, who take on Coventry at the Galpharm on Saturday, July 25, start their League I campaign at Southend on Saturday, August 8.