Alex Wynter has been rewarded for his Maidstone form with an England C call-up.

Wynter has been picked for a training camp at Lilleshall on Sunday as boss Paul Fairclough works towards naming his squad for a fixture in Slovakia next month.

Wynter grew up in the professional game at Crystal Palace but the prospect of playing for England’s non-league team is still a big deal.

He said: “I knew England C was an option but I was just focused on getting games for Maidstone when I came here.

“I haven’t thought about it too much but I’m looking forward to it.

“It’s the Three Lions so it’s something I’ll be able to look back on when I retire and be very proud.

“If it wasn’t an under-23 squad I think anyone from our back four could have been in it.”

Wynter has forged a strong partnership with his old Colchester team-mate Magnus Okuonghae at centre-half, keeping highly-rated QPR loanee Alex Finney out of the team.

He knows he needs to stay on his game with Finney waiting in the wings.

Wynter said: “I know what football’s like, I’ve been in it long enough to know if you’re not doing well, you’re not going to play.

“With Finney there, it keeps me on my toes but I wouldn’t say there’s any pressure, just the pressure I put on myself.

“No one wants to be sat on the bench. It’s one of the worst feelings just coming on when someone’s injured - you don’t feel wanted.

“But when you’re at a club and you’re playing, you feel needed, you feel important and it’s a good place to be in, mentally as well.”

Wynter has popped up with three goals from centre-half, having previously scored only once in his career.

Unusually for a defender, he prefers scoring goals to keeping them out.

He said: “I need to work on the celebration but I can’t complain - it’s the best feeling in football scoring a goal.Nothing beats a goal but a clean sheet is a close second."