The 'powerful and uncompromising' Cardiff City kid who was carried through the streets of Bristol in his kit as transfer call looms

It's been quite the season for Cardiff City youngster James Connolly. It began by captaining Steve Morison's all-conquering Bluebirds under-23s side and ended by being carried through the streets of Bristol in his Rovers kit.

Quite the experience for the 20-year-old defender and seasons like that don't come around too often. To cap it all off, too, he has been selected by Paul Bodin for the first time for Wales Under-21s ahead of their final Euro 2023 qualifier matches against Netherlands on June 11 and Gibraltar on June 14, with both games taking place at Parc y Scarlets.

Bodin has had Connolly on his radar for some time. He watched him play in the academy for Cardiff City and was a frequent visitor to the Memorial Stadium to watch the Gas this term.

: James Connolly earns first Wales call-up after impressive campaign

Unless City fans went out of their way to watch Rovers, or popped along to Leckwith to see the under-23s at the start of the campaign, they could be forgiven for knowing very little about the centre-back. Suffice to say, though, Bodin was impressed with what he saw.

"He is a player who fully deserves his call-up," Bodin said on Friday. "I watched him many times in the under-23s, we are regular watchers of the under-23s, analysing them. James got an opportunity to go out on loan with Bristol Rovers, Luca Hoole there as well, so it was good to go and watch them. Both of them have had fantastic seasons.

"James is an uncompromising centre-half, a strong, powerful boy. He was in the system a few years ago when he was at Blackburn, but never quite broke into the various age groups.

"But this is kind of the last opportunity, this camp. Hopefully he will come in and enjoy it and embrace the opportunity. I've had