The Scotland Under-19 player Dominic Hyam has assured Ricky Sbragia he has no intention of turning his back on Scotland.

Southampton duo Sam Gallagher and Matt Targett both chose England after initially playing for the Scots.

However, England youth coach Noel Blake pointed out that Ricky Sbragia's team have plenty of players in their squad that could have made the same choice, including Hyam, the Reading central defender.

Hyam has been impressive at the centre of defence beside Dundee United's John Souttar as the Scots narrowly lost out to England and were held by Ukraine. Ahead of tomorrow's final game in the Euro Elite Group in Walsall against Montenegro, Hyam has pledged his future to Scotland.

He explained: "My dad was in the RAF from the age of 16 and used to be based at Leuchars in Fife. My mum was pregnant with me at the time and that's where I was born. He was only there for between six months and a year before we moved back down south.

"I've been there ever since, but I feel Scottish. I've got more Scottish than English in me because my dad's mum is from Dundee originally and mum's dad is from Glasgow. I was never called up by England at any age group. I've just focused on playing for Scotland and that's still the case now."

Hyam is part of a Caledonian colony at Reading with George McLennan and Harry Cardwell now in the Under-19s squad and Zak Jules and Jake Shepperd part of the Under 17 squad which reached the semi-finals of the European finals.

The goalkeeper Jonathan Henly is with the Under-21s and Tom McIntyre has also been part of the Under-19 squad too. Hyam said: "We all stick together at Reading and get a bit of stick from the English lads. They call us 'sweaty socks'. Reading are a good club for these young Scots to be nurtured."