We are delighted to announce that Leo Castledine has been called up to the England Under-15s national squad.
Leo, who has been with our academy for eight seasons, has been selected for the England squad, managed by Lee Skyrme, for a three-day training camp next week at St Georges Park. This will prepare Leo and the rest of the squad for Under-15 fixtures in December.
Leo is the son of Stewart Castledine, who played for Wimbledon FC from 1991 until 2000. After joining AFC Wimbledon at Under-7s, Leo filled a more defensive role in his early years, but he now plays further up the pitch in midfield.
Academy Manager Michael Hamilton said: “I can’t tell you how proud we are that Leo has been recognised by England. This hasn’t happened overnight because Leo has been with us since he was seven years of age. This is an accumulation of seven or eight years of development, so I’d like to acknowledge every single coach and staff member who has played a part in his journey.
“We rate Leo immensely, so much so that we made him the youngest ever player to feature for the Under-18s this summer when we toured Spain. We’ve had numerous conversations with Leo and his family since we heard the news and nothing changes. It’s important he continues with the same attitude and application he has shown to get him up to this stage, and that he remains grounded.”
All at AFC Wimbledon congratulate Leo on his fantastic achievement and we wish him every success on England duty.