Former Exeter City loanee Jay Stansfield helped the England Under-21 side defeat their German counterparts to retain the UEFA European Under-21 Championship title and create history by becoming the second England team to do.
Lee Carsley's young lions successfully defended the title which they won in 2023, as they won 3-2 after extra time against Germany - emulating Dave Sexton's side of 1982 and 1984 - in the final in Bratislava.
Goals from Liverpool's Harvey Elliott and Ipswich Town's Omari Hutchinson had given England a two-goal cushion, as they seemingly sliced open the Germans at will in the opening half hour. However, Germany pulled one back in first half injury time through Nelson Weiper.
Stansfield, who currently plays his club football for Birmingham City, featured until the 62nd minute when he was replaced by Brooke Norton-Cuffy, shortly after Paul Nebel's shot had taken an unfortunate deflection off him for Germany's equaliser.
Despite the Germans striking the crossbar late on, Carsley's side regained their composure in injury time as Jonathan Rowe, who plays for Olympique Marseille in Lique 1 in France, headed home a cross from Liverpool's Tyler Morton to score what proved to be the winning goal in the 92nd minute.
Aside from Stansfield, there was another link to the South West in the Under-21 side as Brighton and Hove Albion's Jack Hinshelwood is the nephew of Paul Hinshelwood who played for Torquay United in the 2007-08 season.
