Ben earns praise from legendary Welsh defender

With four trophies and just shy of 400 appearances in a Lilywhite shirt to his name, not to mention an eight-year stint as manager of his country, legendary former defender Mike England knows a fair bit about manning the barricades for Spurs and Wales.

Already an established Welsh international when he arrived at White Hart Lane from Blackburn in 1966, the Flintshire native enjoyed tremendous success during his time in North London, winning the 1967 FA Cup, the UEFA Cup five years later and two League Cups in the early 1970s.

Having spent nine years here and gone on to manage Wales for an extended period, it’s no surprise that he continues to keep tabs on his former Club and country sides.

And it’s even less of a shock to hear his words of encouragement for his compatriot and current incumbent of our defensive ranks, Ben Davies.

Competing for places with Danny Rose, Ben has caught Mike’s eye when he’s taken to the field for us this season – with the respected former defender predicting a bright future for the young full-back.

“There are some good young Welsh players around and Ben is doing very well,” said Mike.

“Sometimes when youngsters first come into the team they’re a little bit overawed by it all, but once they’re given a good run they quickly settle down. In sport it’s about how you deal with yourself and it’s about playing with confidence.

“That’s what Ben has been doing. His confidence has grown and he’s looking a very good player indeed.

“He looks very composed when he’s playing and it adds a touch of class when a player looks comfortable on the ball. You can see that with the way he moves, his style of play is very smooth and I believe he’s got a very, very good future ahead of him.

“Hopefully he’ll remain at the Club for a long time.”