Nouble on national duty

Frank Nouble is getting to know his new team-mates after being named in the England Under-19 squad for the first time.

Forward Nouble, who has already represented the Young Lions at Under-17 level, has been included in Under-19s coach Noel Blake's squad for the first qualifying stage of the UEFA European U19 Championship this week.

England will play their first match against Finland in Murska Sobota on Friday, the town where West Ham United played ND Mura 05 during their pre-season tour. They then take on mini-tournament hosts Slovenia in the same stadium two days later before rounding out their group campaign against Slovakia on Wednesday 14 October in Lendava.

The winners of the group will win through to the Elite round to be played next spring with the 2010 finals following in northern France in the summer. Should they qualify, Blake's side will be hoping to go one better than last season, when they lost in the final to Ukraine.