Youth Football: Scott faces Italian job

He said: "It's good news England are going. I expect a selection letter to come through the post in the next few days."

Kirkwood, from Brighton and Hove, impressed in an England squad which scored a hat-trick of victories on a recent tour of the United States.

The 17-year-old midfielder said: "The matches in America were against local sides in Los Angeles. I enjoyed them but Italy will be more difficult as the countries involved will have a lot of young professionals.

"We got a taste of what that was like earlier in the season when we played an Ireland team that was packed with professionals and we lost 2-0."

Kirkwood, a pupil at Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College, views international duty as part of his football comeback.

He said: "I was with Albion and involved in their centre of excellence centre but it didn't work out. Now I'm with Crawley and part of an international team full of semi-professionals like me. I'm getting rewarded for the hard work I've put in since the Albion setback. Being with England is a great experience and definitely worthwhile."

ECFA coach Danny Laws said: "Scott has done well for his country. He is a good passer, a hard worker and has an excellent attitude which has to be spot on if you are representing your country."

Alex Harrison, 19, from Eastbourne, will miss out on a third trip to the Italian tournament because he is too old. Players have to be under-19s until the end of the year to qualify.

Harrison skippered his country at last year's event in Italy. He scored five goals, including a hat-trick, for English Colleges in Los Angeles.

Sussex under-19s compete in the English Schools Festival of Football which started at Pakefield, Lowestoft today. They are skippered by Seb Kazemi with fellow Varndean College (Brighton and Hove) student Nick Fogden his vice captain.

Joint manager Ian Hutchings said: "We have the bonus of looking at some very promising lads for next year."