SOUTHEND High for Boys soccer star Josh Rees is hoping for more national glory in the new year.

He twice played for England under-16 team in the Victory Shield international tournament, helping them to a 6-0 win over Northerh Ireland and 1-0 success against Wales.

Rees, also the top member of Southend High’s intermediate team that triumphed in the English Schools’ Cross-Country Cup, plays for Arsenal under-16s where he’s coached by former Republic of Ireland international Liam Brady.

Rees hopes that 2009 will see him play in more competitions and tournament to gain future caps for his country.

Apart from his soccer and cross-country successes, Rees has shown his all-round excellence by being a national schools cup-winning track and field athlete and a successful member of the Essex schools’ runners-up basketball team.

He also plays cricket for the school and Hadleigh & Thundersley.

Said headteacher Robin Bevan: “Josh clearly has exceptional talent and it’s great that he has found himself studying at a school where talent is nurtured and expectations are high.”