Football
Press Association Sport staff 8y

Matt Grimes found out about England under-21 call-up on Twitter

England U-21 debutante Matt Grimes revealed that he learned of his place in Gareth Southgate's squad  by browsing Twitter after training at Blackburn Rovers on Thursday.

"I found out on Twitter about half an hour ago,'' he said. "I didn't know anything prior.

"I saw the under-20s was announced yesterday and I wasn't in that but I didn't really think anything of it, and then I found out today.

"I knew it was announced today and so I just had a little look after we'd done our session and saw I'd been called up, so it was happy days!"

Grimes is vastly experienced for his age, breaking through at League Two Exeter three years ago, and he believes that grounding coupled with a run in Blackburn's first team has prompted Southgate to turn his way.

"I spoke to him at the very start of the season about playing games and where I was getting my games from because I wasn't quite getting a run of games at Swansea," he added.

"Games as a youngster are massive. I don't think the under-21s league is as good as first team games, playing on Saturday, three o'clock for three points. I think it's held me in good stead really."

England are top of Group 9, three points clear of Norway and Switzerland, and beat the Swiss 3-1 in Brighton in November.

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