Barnsley: Tom Bradshaw's delight as he's recalled by Wales

The 24-year-old made his debut last year with a 17-minute burst against Ukraine, and he was included in the squad for Euro 2016 - before pulling out with a calf injury.

That meant he had to agonisingly watch their memorable run to the semi-finals at home, but he has finally forced his way back into international contention.

“Obviously I’ve made my debut before, but it’s a proud time whenever you’re called up,” said Bradshaw, who moved to the Reds from Walsall in the summer.

“It’s an especially proud time for myself and my family. I know [head coach] Chris Coleman has come to a few games, he came to Reading away when we got a good draw. It was just as much a surprise to me as it was for anyone else.

“I think a lot of the world got behind Wales at the Euros. It was great for the country, great for the sport and I think it gave the nation a belief about how good we actually are.”

Wales have a tough World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland on Friday night, and Bradshaw could well be involved.

The prolific frontman netted an impressive 20 goals last term in League One and despite a rocky start to life in the Championship, he is now finding the back of the net with regularity again - hitting eight goals so far this term.

He added: “It was a bit of a slow start for me this season. I think that comes from it being difficult to adapt to a move straight away. You have to get used to a few different things, like the way the team plays, the manager and the coaching staff.

“I’ve really settled now and I think we’ve all done well as a team and a club this season. In this league there’s definitely more emphasis on taking your chances.”