Taylor picks 20 for Toulon

England will take a 20-man squad to France for next month's Toulon Tournament.

Coach Peter Taylor has selected a mix of Premiership and Football League players for the Under-20 competition.

The likes of Newcastle United trio Darren Ambrose, James Milner and Steven Taylor have been picked, having had experience with the Under-21 side.

But there is also room in the squad for several players previously untried at international level, including Preston's in-form striker David Nugent.

Barnsley goalkeeper Scott Flinders and Colchester United defender Greg Halford will represent League One, with Taylor outlining the reasoning behind those selections.

"They (Flinders and Halford) are two players who have had very good seasons," Taylor told The Football Association's official website.

Taylor is anxious for the players in the Toulon squad to use the tournament as a stepping stone into his Under-21 plans.

He added: "The most important thing is that the players enjoy the tournament and learn from the experience that they will pick up from playing against different types of teams.

"I hope the players go out there and play well and learn so that next season, when many will be with the Under-21s, they are more developed players and can apply the knowledge they have gained."

England start the tournament against Tunisia on June 2, before tackling Portugal and South Korea.

Squad: Flinders (Barnsley), Young (Reading); Davies (Middlesbrough), Ferdinand (West Ham), Halford (Colchester), Hoyte (Arsenal), Ridgewell (Aston Villa), Rosenior (Fulham), Taylor (Newcastle); Ambrose, Milner (Newcastle), Huddlestone (Derby), Reo-Coker (West Ham), Routledge, Soares (Crystal Palace), Welsh (Liverpool), Whittingham (Aston Villa); Henderson (Norwich), Nugent (Preston), B Wright-Phillips (Manchester City)