THREE North-East young guns have been tipped to make the step up to the England senior squad in the future by Under-21s boss David Platt.

Middlesbrough full-back Stuart Parnaby and Newcastle United pair Darren Ambrose and Michael Chopra are all hoping to play a part in the Under-21s European Championship qualifier with Slovakia tomorrow night at the Stadium of Light.

And Platt has been delighted to have had the triumvirate in his squad over the past few days, enabling him to have a close look at the country's rising stars. Right-back Parnaby made himself a permanent fixture in Boro's back-four last season and was only held back by a series of niggling injuries.

Nineteen-year-old Ambrose, meanwhile, moved to Newcastle from Ipswich Town earlier this year and is being backed to follow in the same footsteps as Magpies teammate Jermaine Jenas.

Jenas, crowned PFA Young Player of the Year in April, is now part of Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad preparing for Wednesday's match with Slovakia despite being just 20.

And Platt, who had Jenas under his wing when he was in charge at Nottingham Forest, said: "Stuart has been unlucky with injuries over the past few months but he came in the other night (against Serbia & Montenegro) and defended very well.

"Ambrose is a player without a shadow of a doubt. He is only going to improve as well which has to be good for him and this country.

"I don't know Darren well enough to say that he will go on to do exactly what JJ did in such a short space of time - it was no surprise that JJ did it really because I knew him well enough.

"But I've been impressed with the whole group to be honest. It's been good to have a look at a number of players close-up."

Hot-shot Chopra is still behind in the pecking order for the Under-21s, with Newcastle teammate Shola Ameobi and West Ham's Jermain Defoe currently the first choice front two.

And Platt has urged Chopra to be patient, he said: "He has done very well. I've known about Chops for some time and we know he scores goals. He hasn't shown me anything different to what I already knew, he is a goalscorer."

Platt has been full of admiration for Ameobi for some time and he fully expects the gangly Newcastle striker to make a name for himself on the full international stage in the future.

And the Nigerian-born forward, who has struggled to command a regular first team place at St. James' Park, admitted to Northern Echo Sport on Saturday that he is disheartened to see more forwards linked with moves to Tyneside in the summer. Under-21 teammate Darren Bent is one name mentioned, but Ameobi is behind Sir Bobby Robson's decision to buy British.

"There's been a lot of fuss made about foreign players in the Premier League, but it helps my own development that the majority of Newcastle signings are now British," said Ameobi.

"Managers have cottoned on, to be challenging for the title you need that English mentality. The foreigners around the country are fantastic, but it would seem managers feel you need English players to get to the next level.

"That's what our manager is trying to do. Most of our players are British, which is fantastic, and with the squad being so young and with most of us around the same age, we connect with each other on and off the field. The manager has been excellent in putting the squad together, and he is adding to it all the time as well, which is fantastic to see and hopefully we can take that next step."

* Fans wishing to go to see England U21s take on Slovakia at the Stadium of Light can use the free park-and-ride scheme or park at the stadium.

Park-and-ride buses will operate for two hours before kick-off, with pick-up points at the enterprise park on the A1231.

After the game, buses will pick up opposite the Colliery Tavern. Parking at the ground is £5 and space can be bought in advance from the SAFC ticket office.

Match tickets are priced at £10 for adults and £5 for juniors. Family tickets (two adults, two children) are priced at £25 and group discounts for parties of ten or more are also available.