FORMER Copmanthorpe Primary School footballer Lucy Staniforth has been named in the England Women’s squad for next month’s World Cup.

Three Lions legend Alan Shearer announced that Staniforth will be travelling to France for the tournament as part of a unique experiment, where each player’s selection was announced by famous personalities in the game on the BBC Sport website.

Shearer had previously responded to a Twitter post made by midfielder Staniforth when she mimicked the ex-Newcastle and Blackburn striker’s goal celebration after scoring for her country during March’s 3-0 SheBelieves Cup victory over Japan.

The York-born, 26-year-old will now join Phil Neville’s 23-strong squad for warm-up internationals against Denmark and New Zealand in preparation for the competition’s group matches against Scotland, Argentina and Japan.

There will be 24 teams competing with England hoping to better their third-placed finish at the last World Cup four years ago.

Staniforth – the daughter of ex-York City attacker and York College tutor Gordon – started playing football alongside boys as a Copmanthorpe Primary School pupil.

Currently playing for Birmingham City, she has also played for Sunderland, Lincoln, Notts County, Bristol and Liverpool in the past.

Having represented her country at under-17, 19, 20 and 23 levels, Staniforth netted on her senior debut for the Lionesses during September’s World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan.

She now has eight full international caps and two goals to her name.