FROM Senrab to Serbia – from the odd name of your first club to outstanding fame at Euro 2024.
That’s the fairytale chapter just one star is dreaming of in an amazing map showing the first club of every player in England’s 26-man Euro 24 squad.
Ezri Konsa is the latest star to emerge from Senrab – a Sunday League club in East London with a jaw-dropping Premier League production line.
Players trained at Marion Richardson School in Senrab Street, Stepney – close to Barnes Street.
Too much detail? Possibly yes – except that Barnes spelt backwards is Senrab, and that dozens of their players have gone forwards to have spectacular careers.
The club’s latest hero, Crystal Palace defender Konza, is preparing for his first international tournament at the age of 26.
And if he wants advice from ex-Senrab kids, he has plenty of top class experience to turn to.
John Terry, Jermain Defoe, Sol Campbell, Ledley King and Ray Wilkins are just a few of their major successes in the men’s game.
Fittingly, however, the team where Three Lions’ skipper Harry Kane initially played also has a staggering “hit” list.
Chingford-based Ridgeway Rovers – just 11 miles from Senrab – not only developed Kane but also another ex-England captain in David Beckham.
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Manchester United legend Becks was coached at the time by dad Ted.
And Rovers still proudly say on their website that Beckham Junior has “always championed” the club.
Ridgeway can even boast of Goldenballs: “In his biography he states that he was at his happiest when playing with his mates at Ridgeway Rovers.”
Fellow ex-Three Lions wideman Andros Townsend, 32, who is now with Luton, also started his football life with the Londoners.
Not surprisingly, Tynesider Jordan Pickford began his playing days with the team furthest north on the England map.
In fact, it turned out to be a red letter day when Pickford joined home-town team Washington Envelopes.
That’s because in those days the Three Lions No 1 wasn’t normally a goalkeeper.
However, he soon stamped his mark between the posts after joining the Envelopes.
The now-Everton hero told the EnglandFootball website: “I remember going to see my brother play and there was an U7s team on the same pitch and they didn’t have a keeper…
“I was younger than them, but used to go in goal when I was knocking on the street so I joined in and ever since then I’ve been in goal.
“That team was Washington Envelopes, my first club.
“I didn’t really think much about playing with the older lads, but I just liked being brave and getting in front of the football.”
And if “Washington Envelopes” sounds fun, just listen to some of the names of the other teams who launched the football habit for Gareth Southgate‘s players, whose group campaign begins against Serbia on June 16.
So far Declan Rice‘s career only seems to have gone up, rather than a rollercoaster let alone a slide – yet his first club was Dickerage Lane Adventure Island.
The £105million Arsenal midfielder even opened a new pitch at the London venue as recently last month.
Rice told ITV: “I’m so proud. I’ve obviously spent a massive part of my life here.
“I’ve been coming here since I was two year old and now I’m 25.”
Meanwhile, Rice’s ex-West Ham team-mater Jarrod Bowen began with home-towners Leominster Minors in Herefordshire.
Sheffield’s Penistone Church FC have seen their clubhouse and marquee pack out to watch old boy John Stones for the Three Lions.
And Red Devils’ hot prospect Kobbie Mainoo was initially with Stockport side Cheadle and Gatley Juniors FC.
Map-wise, Ollie Watkins is the sole representative for the South West, starting out at Devon’s Newton Town & Buckland Athletic – on the way to Exeter City and now his free-scoring pomp in the Prem with Aston Villa.
Predictably, the largest bunch of England’s squad originated in or around London.
That includes Arsenal attacker Bukayo Saka at Greenford Celtic, Liverpool’s Joe Gomez with Ten-Em-Bee and Old Trafford defender Luke Shaw for Molesey Juniors, plus Palace duo Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze at Kent side Cray Wanderers and Bruin JFC respectively, as well as Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher via Epsom Eagles.
Brighton skipper Lewis Dunk flies the flag for the south coast as local side Oakwood were his first team.
Pride of place for less modestly-named clubs goes to Soccer Stars FC in Northampton.
Brentford forward Ivan Toney is their man.
And when Toney picked up the first of four caps last October, Stars’ chairman James Witkiss told the BBC: “We have been following his progress for a long time.
“You could always see he had the ability. For him to actually make it is absolutely phenomenal.”
Arsenal back-up stopper Aaron Ramsdale began with Marsh Town in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.
And Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold was in the Walton & Kirkdale League with Country Park, who also supplied the Reds with Jon Flanagan and Adam Lewis.
New Palace hero Adam Wharton was at Lancashire’s Moorlands International Football Academy – where he was so bright that teachers believe he could have come a rocket scientist.
Phil Foden first took flight with Stockport’s Reddish Vulcans – but is now totally blue as arguably the star man for Prem champs Manchester City this season.
Former City team-mater Cole Palmer began with Manchester team NJ Wythenshawe Juniors.
And another ex-Red Devil in Dean Henderson, who has dug deep to revive his career at Palace, played as a kid for Whitehaven Miners.
Rather boringly, Kyle Walker began with Sheffield United Academy – a rare example of a club name in this list being so straightforward that it speaks for itself.
The first main club of Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon was Sunday League side Whiston Juniors in Merseyside – leading to a short spell with Liverpool and then six years at Everton.
Gordon’s club-mate Kieran Tripper was with Woodhey, near his birthplace in Bury.
That just leaves Jude Bellingham – and a story of going from home-town Stourbridge Juniors to Birmingham City aged seven and Real Madrid since last year.
The £115m midfielder still has strong roots back in the midlands and thrilled kids at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Stourbridge last September… when he turned up for a football session!
After so many exciting ventures for so many England players over so many miles, that’s a perfect example of keeping it Real.
By Charlie Wyett
GARETH SOUTHGATE will have no choice but to take the handbrake off his England team at Euro 2024.
The defensive crisis gripping the Three Lions means the only option in Germany, within reason, will be outright attack.
Southgate has often been lambasted for his safety-first approach — even if he points out you must go back to Walter Winterbottom’s sides in the 1950s to find an England manager with a better scoring record.
But with the crocked Harry Maguire left out, Luke Shaw not fit enough to start the tournament and John Stones having made just 12 Premier League starts this season, this is not a defence you would stake your life on.
The last time England went to a major tournament in Germany — the 2006 World Cup — the four centre-backs selected were Sol Campbell (68 caps), Rio Ferdinand (47), Jamie Carragher (25) and John Terry (24).
This time, when England fly out on Monday, the quartet will be Lewis Dunk (six), Joe Gomez (14), Marc Guehi (ten) and Ezri Konsa (three).
It makes Southgate’s decision not to recall the 49-cap Eric Dier for his provisional squad even stranger — especially considering his strong end to the season with Bayern Munich.
The elder statesman in his defence — and the one who absolutely has to stay fit — is 71-cap Stones.
