Wiseman is planning to be the rock in Gibraltar’s defence

IT IS not every day you get a senior international call-up just shy of your 28th birthday – let alone one for Gibraltar.

That unusual honour will belong to Barnsley defender Scott Wiseman when he is officially called up by Uefa’s newest – and smallest – full member on Tuesday ahead of their international debut against Slovakia on the Algarve on November 19.

The British Overseas Territory became the 54th nation to join European football’s governing body in May, despite opposition from neighbouring Spain.

With a stadium currently being built, they will have to wait for March 1 for their first friendly on home soil against the Faroe Islands, with further friendlies to follow home and away against Estonia in May.

Hull-born Wiseman’s only previous taste of the international spotlight came with England Under-20s earlier in his career and he has his Gibraltar-born mum to thank for coming to the territory’s attentions.

Wiseman, set to be joined by former Sheffield United player Danny Higginbottom in the Gibraltar squad, said: “We put ourselves in contact with them. My grandparents moved out there in the Fifties and stayed out there with work and my mum and my uncles were born out there. They lived out there for a few years and that’s how it came along really.

“Now they have got the Uefa standing, it’s fantastic and it’s a good opportunity for me more than anything to test myself at another level.

“I was on holiday and my mum rang me and said: ‘Gibraltar have been made part of Uefa.’ She asked me if I’d be eligible through her and my agent then put the wheels in motion.

“To be honest, it never (previously) entered my mind. I played for England Under-20s and thought that was it for me for that such of thing.”

The Yorkshireman, pictured in action for Barnsley against Huddersfield Town, admits he is looking past thoughts of his surprise debut to the Euro 2016 draw in February and some mouth-watering opposition for the minnows.

Potentially, Gibraltar, whose record victory is a 19-0 win over Sark, could be drawn with England, possibly playing them as early as next autumn, along with the likes of Germany, Italy and France.

But a serious grudge match against the might of Spain will not be on the cards, with Uefa confirming the pair will be kept apart in qualifying following the examples of Armenia and Azerbaijan and Russia and Georgia.

Whichever leading European nations they land, Gibraltar – population 30,000 and covering an area of just 2.6 squad miles – will very much be adhering to 
the maxim of: ‘It’s not the winning but the taking part that counts.’

Regulars in the Island Games – despite not being an island – for the past decade, Gibraltar’s highlight arrived in the 2007 final when they beat Rhodes 4-0.

Other experiences of tournament football saw them finish last in the Four Nations Tournament in 2008, contested between themselves, England C, Wales Semi-Pro and Scotland B.

It has whetted the appetite for the challenges ahead of facing some established European names, having previously faced the likes of the Republic of St Pauli, Orkney and Anglesey since playing their first game in 2003.

Wiseman added: “I am never going to get the chance to be part of the Euros with another national team. I saw the chance and thought: ‘Why not?’

“You can imagine what the lads (at Barnsley) say about it and you can imagine what they have already said...”

There may have been a touch of mirth among his team-mates following his international quest with the smallest of footballing minnows in Gibraltar, but Reds chief David Flitcroft is certainly not among that number.

He said: “For him to have an opportunity to play against some of Europe’s best; I’d love that and I’d personally try and watch it wherever it was.

“Scott’s had some tough times at this football club and not been supported greatly.

“But he’s won the fans over and the fans have really backed him and we have seen that in Scott’s performance and I’d love to see Scott live playing for his country.”