Fry: Ben’s class was obvious
BARRY FRY claims he knew Brighton defender Ben White was destined for England greatness from the first moment he set eyes on him.
White spent the second half of the 2018-19 season on loan at Peterborough United in League One, which followed a highly successful loan stint in the fourth tier at Newport County.
After his spell at Posh, where Fry has spent the past 25 years as director of football, White went on loan again, this time to Leeds and helped them get promoted from the Championship in 2019-20.
Fry, 76, said: “When he was at Newport, I watched Ben three times and he always impressed – he was man of the match against Tottenham in the FA Cup.
“I knew a few people at Brighton and we got him on loan. Ben was class on and off the field and the way he conducted himself was brilliant - he’s cool as a cucumber and his distribution is brilliant.
“Ben reads the game fantastically well and is a proper player who wanted to listen, learn and improve. He was different class for us and I did try and get him on loan again, but Brighton told me he was going to Leeds.
“I said, ‘It’s no good him going to Leeds unless he plays’... but, as it turned out, he played every game.
“Brighton did well, didn’t they? Loaned him out to League Two, League One and the Championship – then brought him back and he’s played all season in the Premier League. Now he’s at the Euros with England.”
Fry is not surprised by that call-up, and said: “He played centre-half, rightback and midfielder for us.
“He’s so comfortable wherever you put him and I think that’s one of the reasons Gareth Southgate selected him.
“Ben always had an air of confidence and he’s a lovely guy. We did try to buy him – but got told to get lost. I dread to think what he would cost now!”