DJED HIGH GRIND TRICK

Frank hails Spence's grit for rise from reject to Three Lions

- BY ALASDAIR GOLD

DJED SPENCE received hugs all round in training yesterday after his Tottenham teammates heard about his England call-up.

It made a stunning contrast for the fullback, 25, from just over a year ago when he was set to leave Spurs with his Premier League dreams in tatters having struggled to make a breakthrough, going out on three different loan spells.

However, he knuckled down and impressed first Ange Postecoglou and then his replacement Frank, earning two new contracts within 12 months.

And to top it all, after a blistering start to this season, Spence received a text yesterday morning to tell him he was in Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions squad.

A member of Spurs' staff ran on to the Hotspur Way training pitches to tell the squad when the official announcement came.