A PARTIALLY-SIGHTED teenage footballer is a step closer to his goal of representing England after being chosen for a national talent camp.

Gavin Watson, 14, who has been playing the sport since he was two-years-old, has been selected for the England Disability Team’s training camp for partially-sighted players.

Gavin, from Middleton-St- George, near Darlington, was spotted by scouts while playing for a team of partiallysighted footballers in Newcastle.

The teenager, who has less than 50 per cent vision and has been partially-sighted since birth, also plays alongside sighted players in his local team, Middleton Rangers and has also played for Darlington 21st All Stars.

Gavin, a defender, told The Northern Echo: “I started playing when I was two, having a kick-about in the garden with my mum. I played for All Stars when I was nine and started playing for Middleton Rangers when I was 11.”

He said he did not feel his disability held him back, adding: “It is just like when the ball goes high I can’t see it, or when I am facing the sun.”

He said the camp had been very beneficial to his football skills.

“They taught me lots of things about movement. I feel like it’s brought my game on a bit,” he said.

Gavin, who attends Hurworth School Maths and Computing College, said his parents, Sharon and David, were very pleased about his achievement.

“I was quite proud to be selected for the camp. My parents think the same as me – they think I do have good chance. They are really proud.”

Gavin has up to four football sessions a week, typically training with his Newcastle team once a week and playing a fixture and training with Middleton Rangers once a week, with one match.

Gavin, who is a Newcastle fan, does not have a favourite player but thinks that Alan Shearer’s new stewardship of the club will be a positive.

“I think Shearer will have a tough time trying to keep us up. I think he’ll manage it though,” he said.