There was a major moment for one Leeds United midfielder as he made his full debut for Wales in midweek.
There was a significant landmark in the young career of Leeds United academy product Charlie Crew after he made his first start at senior level for Wales in their friendly defeat against Canada.
The talented midfielder has made just a solitary senior appearance for the Whites after he came off the bench in the latter stages of a 3-0 home win against Plymouth Argyle last November. The 19-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Doncaster Rovers as Grant McCann’s side claimed promotion into League One and he agreed to return for a season-long loan stint at the Eco-Power Stadium in August.
Despite Saturday’s 3-0 away defeat against Wigan Athletic, Rovers have enjoyed an overwhelmingly positive start to life in the third tier of the English game and will head into Saturday’s home clash with AFC Wimbledon sat in the play-off places. Crew has made five appearances in all competitions during the opening month of his second spell with the club and his form was reward with a call-up to the senior Wales squad almost 13 months after he made his debut as a substitute in a goalless draw with Gibraltar.
Crew joined Whites team-mate Dan James in the starting XI as they met a Canada side managed by former Leeds boss Jesse Marsch and the young midfielder produced a solid display before he was replaced during the final 20 minutes of the 1-0 defeat. Rovers manager McCann was on hand to witness Crew’s first start for his country and he gave a positive assessment of the youngster’s performance despite his side coming out on the wrong end of the result.
McCann told the Rovers club website: “To be trusted and play in international football is the pinnacle of any footballer’s career, really, playing for your country. We have seen one of them and we watched Charlie’s game against Canada and he was playing against some really good players, some technically good players who obviously come off the Red Bull motto with Jesse Marsch. It was difficult, but Charlie did fine. He grew into the game and got more confident as the game went on and pleased for both of them.”
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