A central defender mature beyond his years, James Tomkins has settled into life in the Barclays Premier League like a duck to water.

Tipped for a bright future in the game since he was a promising youngster, Tomkins has featured for England at every age-group from Under-15 to Under-21, making his bow at the latter level in June 2009.

A call-up from former Hammer Stuart Pearce capped a memorable 2008/09 season for the Basildon-born player, who took advantage of injuries to James Collins and Danny Gabbidon to cement his place in Gianfranco Zola's side during the closing months of a hugely encouraging campaign.

A product of West Ham United's Academy, Tomkins joined the club at the tender age of seven after being spotted while playing for Sunday League side Holy Cross in his native Essex. Initially playing as a striker, the youngster spent a period on the wing before reverting to his present position at the heart of the back-four.

After signing Academy scholar terms in 2005, the early part of Tomkins' career was blighted by injury, with the teenager suffering two dislocations to the same shoulder during the 2006/07 season.

Having overcome those setbacks, Tomkins established himself in the England Under-19 set-up and soon began to impress first-team manager Alan Curbishley.

With Collins, Gabbidon and Matthew Upson all unavailable, Tomkins was handed his full West Ham debut in the 1-1 Barclays Premier League draw at Everton on 22 March 2008. The 18-year-old enjoyed a mixed afternoon, hitting the crossbar with an early header before allowing Toffees striker Yakubu to turn him and score the host's opening goal.

Undeterred, Tomkins would go on to make five starts and one substitute appearance at the end of the 2007/08 season, including a daunting trip to Old Trafford to take on champions-elect Manchester United. The experiences stood the teenager in good stead ahead of a memorable 2008/09 campaign.

Before that, however, Tomkins was named in Brian Eastick's squad for the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Championship finals in the Czech Republic. The West Ham man started group-stage matches against the host nation and Italy, only to suffer a thigh injury in training that ruled him out of the remainder of the tournament and the opening months of the 2008/09 season.

Back to full fitness, Tomkins decided to gain valuable first-team experience by going out on loan to Coca-Cola Championship side Derby County. The 19-year-old did superbly at Pride Park, making eight appearances in total and helping the Rams to reach the semi-finals of the Carling Cup.

Tomkins returned to Chadwell Heath in January desperate to make his mark, and he did just that by helping the Hammers through to the FA Cup fifth round with victories over Barnsley and Hartlepool United.

Manager Gianfranco Zola was clearly impressed and, following an injury to James Collins, threw Tomkins into Barclays Premier League action in the 2-1 defeat at Bolton Wanderers on 21 February. From then on, the defender did not look back, making a total of 13 first-team appearances as West Ham ended the season in ninth place.

Such was Tomkins' form that he was selected in England's squad for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Sweden in June 2009 alongside club-mate Mark Noble, his first call-up at that level.