Brighton defender Ben White was tipped to play for England

The Albion defender is not there yet

But he has a foot in the door with England after he was named in the provisional squad for Euro 2020 today.

He has come this far thanks largely to an impressive debut Premier League season with Albion.

And that was based on three very different loan experiences in the EFL.

Newport in League Two, Peterborough in League One and then Championship outfit Leeds.

White also gained valuable experience with Albion’s development squad playing in competitions such as the EFL Trophy and Premier League International Cup.

He took The Argus through those experiences earlier this season, starting with a brush with his new England squad mate Harry Kane when Tottenham played Newport County in the FA Cup.

Kane scored late to force a 1-1 draw at Rodney Parade and take Newport to Wembley, where Spurs won 2-0.

White recalled: “It was good, tough. We defended the whole game.

“In the first game, I marked Harry Kane and it was (Fernando) Llorente in the second.

“It was tough when we played them at Rodney Parade.

“It was a game that more came into our hands with the pitch.

“It’s not a nice place to go! Then we went off to Wembley.

“I went to Newport and played 52 games and got loads of experience of professional games, playing week in and week out.

“I was playing with players who were fighting for every point and every win bonus.

ALBION HAPPY TO IGNORE THE 'POTTER TO TOTTENHAM' TALK

“It’s a different way of wanting to win.”

Loan stint No.2 came in the second half of 2018-19, after the under-21s had been knocked out of the EFL Trophy.

He said: “I went to Peterborough, which wasn’t as beneficial, I don’t think. It wasn’t the best loan I’ve had.

“But it was another experience playing in a better league. Different players, different manager. It was an experience. Then to Leeds.”

Newport was when the talk started of what White could become as boss Michael Flynn tipped him for England.

White said: “He was a really nice gaffer and we still talk. Just little things, ‘Good luck’ and ‘Well played’, things like that.

“At Newport it was like that with most of the players. I still keep in contact.

“I went to Peterborough and had Steve Evans, which was an experience.

“It’s just playing games, that was the point of the loans.”

The making of White also included those matches in the often-maligned EFL Trophy.

White said: “I think those games are halfway there to playing a professional game. You’re playing against teams who are going to boot it up the pitch and you are going to have to compete in the air.

“I think that has definitely helped me through what I’ve done on the last couple of seasons.”

Leeds? That, arguably, was the finishing school for White the Prem player.

He said: “Leeds are a Premier League side who were in the Championship.

“I think the expectation for any player who was playing for Leeds was they should be in the Premier League.

“It was unbelievable every game. Packed, so loud. It was really good.”

There is talk among Leeds watchers of him playing out calmly when he got the ball near his own goal early in his debut. Setting the tone.

White does not recall that particular move but said: “It was difficult. The weeks before, I think I only played one game with the team.

“Then I was put into that game because there was no one else really to play.

“It was my chance to do something and try and get my name on the team sheet next week.”

White has noticed the step up to the top tier but it has clearly been manageable.

In theory, he might have taken that step with Southampton. In practice, he was not surprised to be let go when he was 16 and, it sounds, not overly worried about it.

“I think there were a couple of people saying it was them,” he said when asked who took credit for securing his services for the Seagulls.

“I think my mum spoke to somebody on a game day when I was on the bench for Southampton.

“I think there was loads of scouts there and someone said to her they would give me a trial if I got let go.

“I thought I probably wouldn’t get one (a deal at Southampton). There were better players than me back then who were getting contracts.

“When I was released, I probably knew it was happening.

“But the next day the phones didn’t stop ringing.

“I didn’t have many other offers but Brighton wanted me so badly.

“I wanted to play for someone who wanted me.”