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Matthew Judge

Ex-England international opens up on 'club cliques' in Three Lions' golden generation as he reflects on warm welcome from David Beckham

Former England international James Beattie has described how unwelcoming the Three Lions’ squad was during its famous golden generation, revealing just four players introduced themselves following his first call-up. Beattie was in the prime of his club career with Southampton when he received the news that he had been called up for England in 2003.

  • Who was in the England squad when Beattie was called up?

    Beattie, who went on to score 23 goals in 38 Premier League games for the Saints in 2003-04, entered into a star-studded England squad, then managed by Sven-Goran Eriksson, which included the likes of Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney.

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    Which players from the 'golden generation' welcomed Beattie?

    However Beattie - alongside fellow debutants Wayne Bridge, Matt Upson and Trevor Sinclair - has revealed only then-England captain David Beckham, former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell and ex-Manchester United duo Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes made the effort to make the new additions feel welcome.

  • Beattie opens up about the testing England atmosphere

    In an interview with Midnite - Southampton FC's official training kit partner who have launched the league's first-ever Tifo Committee for the EFL Championship season - Beattie said: "When I went into that England squad, there were only a few lads that talked to us. David Beckham, Sol Campbell, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes, probably. The rest of them were just sitting in their club cliques.

    "It was a massive, massive event for us debutants - me, Wayne Bridge, Matt Upson, Trevor Sinclair. Beckham was really good, Sol was really good, they were the ones that sort of made us feel welcome."

  • James Beattie of England in actionGetty Images Sport

    How did Beattie perform for England?

    Beattie made his senior international debut in England's surprise 3-1 defeat against Australia in February 2003. The striker went on to earn four more caps during the so-called 'golden generation' which saw the Three Lions' players struggle to replicate their success at club level on the international scene. Having earned the moniker in the 2000s, England were subsequently eliminated at the quarter-final stage at three successive major tournaments - the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups and the 2004 European Championships.

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