Mark Noble admitted he was over the moon to be called into
the England Under-21 squad for the UEFA European Under-21
Championships in Holland.
"I am really happy to have been named in the squad," he said. "It was a great season for me and a great end to the season for the Club.
"It's really nice to be able to top it off by being called up to the Under-21s squad. I can't wait for the tournament and for the season to start again."
Mark was called into Stuart Pearce's initial 30-man squad and flew out to Spain to attend a training camp, before finding out he'd made the final 23 for next month's tournament.
"With the squad and players we have the chances of us winning it are pretty high, I'd say. It's going to be a great experience being out there. Hopefully it will give me the opportunity to show what I can do on the international stage.
"The training camp was a really great experience. The training was obviously of a very high standard and I must have done ok to have been picked for the final 23-man squad. It was a really good to experience training abroad as well, in a different climate.
"The senior squad is my long-term goal. It's every little boy's dream to be involved in the international set-up when they grow up.
"I've played in every age group for England so far but I'm not getting carried away - I've not even played a game for the under-21s yet. Hopefully next year if I continue performing the way I have been, people will continue to take notice."
Reflecting on the amazing finish to last season, Mark admitted all the drama took a while to sink in.
"It was unbelievable, "he said. "It all went so quickly. It meant so much to everyone that we stayed in the Premiership. It's a massive Club with an ambitious Chairman. Beating Arsenal and Man United twice - on that sort of form we deserved to stay up.
"We don't really care if we get the credit for it or not. We dug ourselves out of a deep hole and we showed everyone what we're capable of. We stayed up and that's the main thing.
"I can't wait for next season now and for all the build-up to begin. I'm looking forward to seeing what players we bring in over the summer too. I hope we start the season the way we finished and I want to play in every game to help take the Club up to a higher position."
"I am really happy to have been named in the squad," he said. "It was a great season for me and a great end to the season for the Club.
"It's really nice to be able to top it off by being called up to the Under-21s squad. I can't wait for the tournament and for the season to start again."
Mark was called into Stuart Pearce's initial 30-man squad and flew out to Spain to attend a training camp, before finding out he'd made the final 23 for next month's tournament.
"With the squad and players we have the chances of us winning it are pretty high, I'd say. It's going to be a great experience being out there. Hopefully it will give me the opportunity to show what I can do on the international stage.
"The training camp was a really great experience. The training was obviously of a very high standard and I must have done ok to have been picked for the final 23-man squad. It was a really good to experience training abroad as well, in a different climate.
"The senior squad is my long-term goal. It's every little boy's dream to be involved in the international set-up when they grow up.
"I've played in every age group for England so far but I'm not getting carried away - I've not even played a game for the under-21s yet. Hopefully next year if I continue performing the way I have been, people will continue to take notice."
Reflecting on the amazing finish to last season, Mark admitted all the drama took a while to sink in.
"It was unbelievable, "he said. "It all went so quickly. It meant so much to everyone that we stayed in the Premiership. It's a massive Club with an ambitious Chairman. Beating Arsenal and Man United twice - on that sort of form we deserved to stay up.
"We don't really care if we get the credit for it or not. We dug ourselves out of a deep hole and we showed everyone what we're capable of. We stayed up and that's the main thing.
"I can't wait for next season now and for all the build-up to begin. I'm looking forward to seeing what players we bring in over the summer too. I hope we start the season the way we finished and I want to play in every game to help take the Club up to a higher position."