No Portman Road Return for Wickham - Ipswich Town News

Former Blues striker Connor Wickham has been left out of the England U21s squad for the Euro 2015 qualifier against Lithuania at Portman Road on Tuesday 15th October.

Gareth Southgate’s men take on San Marino away on Thursday 10th October prior to the U21s’ first game in Suffolk for seven years.

They were last at Portman Road in August 2006 for a 2-2 draw with Moldova when debutant Theo Walcott and David Nugent were on the scoresheet.

Prior to that, Town hosted the full England side in August 2003 when they defeated Croatia 3-1 in a friendly.

Portman Road has also been the venue for England U21 matches against Switzerland (1980, 5-0), Romania (1985, 3-0), Albania (1989, 2-0) and the Czech Republic (1998, 0-1). An U23 side including ex-Blues boss Joe Royle drew 1-1 with Switzerland in 1971.

In 2001/02, an England U19s squad including Town’s Darren Bent and Matt Bloomfield beat Germany 3-1.

The ground also played host to a 1959 pre-Olympic Games friendly between Great Britain and the Caribbean FA ahead of the 1960 Games in Rome.

Tickets for the Lithuania game cost £10 for adults and £5 for concessions and can be bought online from ITFC Direct. A family ticket can be bought for £20 by calling 0871 964 2116.

U21s: Jonathan Bond (Watford), Jack Butland (Barnsley, on loan from Stoke City), George Long (Sheffield United), Eric Dier (Sporting Lisbon), Carl Jenkinson (Arsenal), Michael Keane (Manchester United), Jack Robinson (Blackpool, on loan from Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Southampton), John Stones (Everton), Tom Carroll (QPR, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Nathaniel Chalobah (Nottingham Forest, on loan from Chelsea), Will Hughes (Derby County), Ravel Morrison (West Ham United), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Sammy Ameobi (Newcastle United), Tom Ince (Blackpool), Jesse Lingard (Birmingham City, on loan from Manchester United), Nathan Redmond (Norwich City), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Wilfried Zaha (Manchester United), Saido Berahino (West Bromwich Albion), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Danny Ings (Burnley), Nick Powell (Wigan Athletic, on loan from Manchester United).

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