STAR STRIKER Kevin Phillips aims to celebrate his England call-up by scoring for Sunderland against Ipswich - the club which almost bought him from Watford three years ago.

Ipswich agreed a transfer deal but could not come up with the money and Sunderland snapped up the little striker for a bargain £650,000.

The rest is history, but Phillips, who won the Carling Player of the Year and Golden Boot awards for his 30 strike last season, knows that he must go on banging in the goals for his club to fulfil his England dream.

And Phillips, who was not used during England's ill-fated Euro 2000 campaign, admitted last night that he was worried he might not be in Kevin Keegan's squad for next week's friendly against France.

He revealed: "I honestly had my doubts whether I would be named in the current squad, but now I am in it I plan to make the most of the opportunity.

"Because of my knee injury I haven't had the sort of pre-season I would have liked and I thought the lack of match fitness might count against me.

"I know there have been England scouts at Sunderland's first two Premiership games this season, so maybe the goal against Manchester City helped swing it for me.

"The fact is if I am scoring goals I have every chance of being in the reckoning and now I have got off the mark against City it would be great if I could keep the run going against Ipswich Town."

Phillips, who also won Europe's Golden Slipper award for his 30-goal achievement in his first season at the top level, stressed: "England is important to me and I would love to take my career at that level a stage further by starting as many games as I can.

"I was pleased to be involved in Euro 2000 and no one can ever take away from me the fact that I was part of a national squad at a major international tournament.

"But I would not be honest if I didn't say I was disappointed not to have been more involved on the field in the games we played."

Just as Phillips has his sights set on a run in the England team, County Durham lad Darren Holloway has his heart set on staying in the Sunderland first team.

The Crook-based 22-year-old has been in the starting line-up in the opening two games, being chosen as a midfielder instead of having the defensive role he has been given in his previous senior outings.

Holloway said: "Until I joined Sunderland I always played in midfield but previously I made the first team as a right back.

"I have always seen myself in midfield - I can easily play centre half or right back but ideally I would like to play in the centre of midfield or sitting in front of the back four.

"Now I've been given the chance to play and I aim to do everything I can to stay in the team."

Holloway was given a marking job to do on Arsenal striker Kanu and helped his side keep a clean sheet in the opening game of the season but he was given a freer role against Manchester City at Maine Road.