Frankie Fielding is the fourth‑choice Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper who will be on the bench when England play Hungary at Wembley tomorrow night in what could be the most remarkable rise to the senior squad of all time. Not Paul Robinson, who retired from international football this week. Nor Ben Foster, who pulled out of the squad with injury today. But Fielding, the 22-year-old who has never been close to the Rovers' first team since he captained their reserve side in 2006-07 and has spent spells on loan at Wycombe Wanderers, Northampton, Rochdale and Leeds United. Fielding's last professional outing was a 1-0 defeat at Barnet in front of 4,638 spectators in May.
There are not many season ticket holders at Ewood Park who would identify the club's Blackburn-born goalkeeper behind Robinson, Jason Brown and Mark Bunn. With two substitute appearances for England Under‑21s before he started tonight's game against Uzbekistan, Fielding is not without promise. Rochdale fans will testify to that after he played an integral part in the club's first promotion since 1969 last season.
Before his dramatic elevation, Fielding said: "Last season it was 'Loachy' Alex McCarthy [Reading] and me as the three keepers in the squad, with Loachy No1." It is not the first time the 22-year-old has been surprised by his international progress. His first cap for the Under‑21s came in November 2008, 24 hours after playing for Northampton in the FA Cup. "It was pretty surreal. The team had a few injuries and I was only told about being called into the squad at lunchtime the day before the game. I thought I was going to be joining up as cover to sit on the bench, but after half an hour Joe Lewis had to go off so I ended coming on for my debut," he said.
Scouted aged 10 by Blackburn he joined as a ball-playing midfielder, but quickly realised he was not good enough. "I didn't enjoy it. I wanted to be different so I went in goal." It was a decision quickly vindicated, young Frank coming to idolise, and try to emulate, Brad Friedel, who was the club's undisputed No1 in Fielding's formative years. "Brad was the one I always looked up to. I was lucky enough to work with him for three years and I've never seen him have a bad training session. Not once. He trains every day as if its for a World Cup final. He has certainly been a big inspiration to me."
Had this been a competitive fixture against Hungary, Capello would surely have been on begging‑call duty to Robert Green, Scott Carson, Chris Kirkland and others. The Italian's attempts at a fresh start have been undermined by Robinson's withdrawal and injury to Foster. But as a statement on the paucity of top English goalkeepers, and of Trevor Brooking's ominous assessment this summer on the lack of genuine talent between the current England squad and the Under-17 European champions, the promotion of Fielding and Watford's Scott Loach is profound.
Stuart Pearce, the Under-21s coach, said of Fielding last night: "He has been lightly raced, in terms of matches, but he went out on loan to Rochdale and got some experience there. He is down the pecking order at Blackburn, and he has had to wait patiently for his opportunity. He has been very impressive in training, and we are looking to promote from within when we can.
"Now he has got the opportunity to go and join up with the senior squad tonight. He will be involved in the warm-up and maybe go beyond that, depending on what happens during the game. Joe Hart is going to start the game, but after that, who knows? Either way, the experience will stand Frank in good stead."