Euro 2024: England’s squad shows the true value of football teams in the lower leagues

By Mark Middling, Northumbria University, Newcastle

Before the start of Euro 2024, England’s football squad was widely considered one of the favourites to win the tournament. Manager Gareth Southgate had a wealth of talent at his disposal with some of Europe’s finest players travelling to Germany.

They included the likes of Jude Bellingham, who has quickly become one of Real Madrid’s most influential players. Then there was Phil Foden, the Premier League’s player of the season. Striker Harry Kane had been scoring at will for Bayern Munich.

So the squad has a lot of top footballers from some of the world’s best and richest clubs. But many of these players honed their skills in less glamorous surroundings, further down the tiered English system known as the football pyramid.

And the England side is indebted to that pyramid. Before they landed their current positions in Europe’s elite top teams, 16 players out of the 26-strong England squad spent time playing and developing in the lower leagues.

Bellingham was a youth player at Birmingham City (now League One), with the club retiring his number 22 shirt to inspire future generations of academy players. Harry Kane once spent loan spells at Leyton Orient, Millwall and Norwich City.

England’s first-choice goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has also travelled, on loan, at teams including Sunderland, Carlisle United and Preston North End, as well as non-league clubs Darlington and Alfreton Town.

Others who have spent time further down the pyramid include John Stones (Barnsley), Mark Guehi (Swansea City), Kieran Trippier (Barnsley, Burnley), Kyle Walker (Northampton, QPR), Anthony Gordon (Preston) Ollie Watkins (Exeter City) and Ivan Toney (Barnsley, Shrewsbury, Scunthorpe, Wigan, Peterborough).

These teams have been a common part of the careers of today’s stars, giving them a chance to experience competitive games away from the harsh spotlight of the Premier League.

Yet far from being valued as a vital part of English players’ development, many clubs from the lower divisions face huge financial struggles.

Read Full Story https://theconversation.com/euro-2024-englands-squad-shows-the-true-value-of-football-teams-in-the-lower-leagues-233492