Making my debut for England was an incredible moment and one that I’ve always dreamed of.
I’ll cherish that moment when I came on and it’s been a crazy week or so.
It’s hard to explain how I felt when I got the news that I’d been called up the week before last.
As a kid, you always dream about playing for the seniors and it’s a huge achievement for myself and I’m really proud, excited and happy to be involved.
I remember itching to get the call to come on when I was warming up as a substitute against Brazil in November. It never came then, but just to be involved for a few days building up to that game was a massive achievement for myself.
This time two weeks ago, I was thinking about the U21s and their games coming up and now I’m here, so it’s a great place to be.
When I came up the drive to get dropped off at St. George’s Park last week, you get asked whether you’re with the seniors or U21s and it felt strange to go with the seniors. I have to pinch myself at times but mainly, I just try to enjoy myself and the ride I've been on.
I started out playing for a little team in Tadcaster, the first one was Bass Elite and then it changed to Tadcaster Magnets and I signed for Leeds United when I was about nine.
There’s been a lot of learning going on in that time and a lot of people I can thank, but they all know who they are and it’s been a really enjoyable ride.
Another big honour for me this week is becoming an ambassador for this year’s U17 European Championship in England.
Winning that tournament back in 2014 was a great moment and a great time for me.
It seems like a long time ago now, I know it really isn’t, but I have great memories of it and a lot of the people I played with are still in the England system now.
For me personally, it really helped my career where I was at the time because when I went back to Leeds for the new season, that helped push me from the U18s into the manager’s plans.
I went on the next pre-season tour and I’m really grateful that I got the chance and how that happened.
So my message to the young lads in the England squad preparing for the tournament is to just give it your all, make sure you’re a team and enjoy it!
Even when we were there in Malta four years ago, you learn so much against different opposition and competing in tournaments like that really sets you in good stead.
It will be intense at times, you’ll have a lot of games over a short space of time, but if you have a close group and you’re ready for it just make the most of it.
We all really enjoyed it when we were there, whether that was the football, being away from home with each other and bonding well.
With the tournament being on home soil too, it’ll be a massive advantage. We never had the pleasure of that, but having played against South Korea and their home fans in the World Cup, I know what a great occasion it will be.
Hopefully the fans will come out to support you, so just take it all in and show them what you’re all about.
From there, we went to the U19s Euro Finals in 2016 and got to the semi-finals and probably could’ve done better but that was the foundation ahead of going to the U20 World Cup last year.
Having that group mentality and being away together, it set us up for the World Cup. People came in and people came out, but we got there in the end.
