Birmingham City have received some positive news this morning as it has been announced that promising academy graduates Reece Brown and Demarai Gray have been selected in Keith Downing's first England under-20 squad since taking over as manager.
Speaking at the announcement of his squad, Downing said that he was "really looking forward to it", continuing to admit that it was "a new role for me" but a "privilege" to be part of an international set-up.
He went on, telling the club's website that there were "good young English players" around at the minute and that his team would be a "stepping stone" to first the under-21 side, then Roy Hodgson's senior England team.
International double-header
Downing's Young Lions play their Czech counterparts in a double header of fixtures on the 5th and 7th September.
The first fixture will be a behind closed doors match at Saint George's Park before the Czechs are invited down to Shropshire to play at Shrewsbury Town's Greenhous Meadow with the match open to supporters.
Tickets for the game at Greenhaus Meadow can be purchased directly from Shrewsbury Town or over the telephone. Tickets for the game are priced at £3 for adults and £1.50 for concessions.
Both Gray and Brown will be hoping to feature and impress Downing in both fixtures, with Gray looking to build on the three appearances and one goal that he has chalked up in previous appearances for the U20s.
For Brown meanwhile, it would be a debut appearance at the U20 level for England following three strong previous performances at U18 level.
Call-up for Leicester-bound Gray
The news could potentially be bittersweet for Blues fans with regard Gray, who could soon be on his way to the Premier League with Claudio Ranieri's Leicester City.
The Guardian reported yesterday that the Foxes were willing to match Gray's release clause to prize him away from St Andrew's, the fee thought to be just under the £5million mark.