The Premier League dream may be within touching distance but Ben Godfrey knows there is much hard work required for Norwich City to seal the deal.

The defender is hoping to make his England youth debut against Poland at St George’s Park in Burton on Thursday night (7pm), after his fine form earned an under-20 call-up. He is not getting carried away with his excellent season though.

“To play in the Premier League is every young boy’s dream,” Godfrey said. “When you start out that’s why you play football, to make the top level.

“It doesn’t sound many games but anything can happen, so that excitement can be there but you just can’t let it take over yet.”

The youngster headed in the winner at Rotherham on Saturday, which pushed Daniel Farke’s team four points clear at the top of the Championship with eight games remaining. However, Godfrey knows nothing is sealed yet, from his successful loan at Shrewsbury.

The Shrews spent much of the first half of last season sitting top of League One but fell to third as their form tailed off, eventually losing 2-1 to Rotherham after extra-time in the play-off final.

“It made me learn that no matter how the table looks it can soon all fall to pieces,” he continued. “So it has given me the experience that it’s far from over yet and there’s going to be plenty more twists and turns, and ups and downs, to come.

“I think it has benefitted me mentally to go through what I went through last year. It was a good year but obviously didn’t end the way I wanted it to.

“It’s the worst feeling in the world losing in the play-off final, but it’s an experience that I will cherish and one that has definitely benefitted me in the long run.”

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Godfrey’s form at centre-back has kept Timm Klose and Grant Hanley on the sidelines recently but the 21-year-old says City’s experienced players have given him their full backing.

“They have been really supportive of me,” he added, speaking to City’s matchday programme. “When I have played, and maybe not even had the best of games, they have still been there encouraging me and trying to keep me going. That’s nice and it’s what you have got to have in the squad.

“That’s what makes this squad so special and unique, that as well as healthy competition we are together and they are always encouraging me.”