Express & Star

World Cup bonus for West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster

Ben Foster will today become the first Albion player since Jeff Astle in 1970 to play for England in a World Cup.

Published

The Baggies keeper was named as one of nine changes made by boss Roy Hodgson in the dead rubber against Costa Rica tonight in Belo Horizonte.

Foster, who is 31 and only came out of international retirement in February 2013, replaces first choice Joe Hart to become the first Baggies player to represent England in the tournament since Astle in Mexico in 1970.

With little to play for apart from pride, Hodgson took the unusual step of naming his entire starting line-up for this afternoon's game, with Gary Cahill and Daniel Sturridge the only survivors from last week's 2-1 defeat to Uruguay.

Foster, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Luke Shaw, James Milner, Frank Lampard, Jack Wilshere, Ross Barkley and Adam Lallana will replace Hart, Glen Johnson, Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka, Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Raheem Sterling, while Lampard will be captain.

Albion goalkeeping coach Dean Kiely welcomed Foster's selection and insisted he wouldn't let anyone down.

"He thoroughly deserves it – he made a really big contribution to our season and was a really big player for us," said Kiely. "He will be fine. I see him every day in training and he's a player of vast Premier League experience and one who doesn't let anything faze him, so he'll take it in his stride."

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.