Ben White cried tears of joy and emotion when he was called up by England.

So did his mum on the other end of the phone.

Family comes first for the Albion defender and, now, England squad member.

His parents Barry and Carol have travelled all over the country supporting Ben.

They took those early calls from Albion after their 16-year-old boy was released by Southampton.

Covid restrictions aside, it has taken a very good reason to keep Carol away from his matches throughout his young career so far.

The Whites, who have been together for 35 years, would love to be up there on Teesside if he makes his Three Lions debut at the Riverside in two forthcoming friendlies.

A bit like her son in the Premier League this term, Carol has been very close to ever-present during his career.

White said: “My mum has not missed a game.

“Obviously due to Covid she has not been able to come but before that she had not missed one game.

“Well, she missed one as my sister was giving birth. But my dad came instead!”

White stands a good chance of some minutes in the warm-up games before learning whether he makes the cut for Gareth Southgate’s final 26.

He has had thoughts on England ever since Albion technical director Dan Ashworth called to give him the news.

Until that moment, he assumed he was on summer holiday.

White said: “I was out for dinner. I didn’t really believe it.

“Obviously speaking to Dan, he told me all the news, when I was going and all that. It was unbelievable.

“I then put the phone down and rang my mum straight away.

“Sat down I was crying, mum was crying, my dad and all my sisters there.

“I just sat there and cried for an hour and could not really believe it. I don’t think it has settled in yet.”

Reports started to circulate late on Sunday that White was in for Euro 2020.

It was not quite like that. The full story emerged on Monday evening that Southgate was actually piecing together a training group.

White’s foot in the door was confirmed the following day.

It turns out his season may well NOT have ended as he walked off at the Emirates after Albion’s 2-0 defeat by Arsenal.

He said: “I think it is always something you want.

“Obviously during the season I have been focussing on playing for Brighton and putting in the performances for Brighton.

“I think when we finished on Sunday against Arsenal I probably thought that was it, my summer holidays now. To get the call I am going is unbelievable.

“I didn’t really think that I would be called and thought it was a bit too late because I have heard you get called way before it and you know.

“But I obviously didn’t and, when that call did come, I was over the moon with it and shocked really.”

White missed one game late on due to a ban and was on the bench for the Christmas game at home to Arsenal.

And that was it, leaving him with more minutes than anyone else in the Albion squad to follow an ever-present campaign at Leeds the previous season.

He said: “It was nice to come back to Brighton.

“Obviously it is my first year really playing for Brighton, so it was a proud moment to make my debut for Brighton in the Premier League and I am so grateful to the gaffer for giving me the opportunity to play all season.”

White has been adaptable at Albion, which is one of the qualities Southgate mentioned when naming him in the 33-man group.

The 23-year-old said: “I think obviously playing in different positions, you get to play more games.

“If there are injuries, which there is in football, you have got to be able to adapt.

“That has helped me play as many games as I have in the last two years.”

But there is more to versatility than that.

BEN WHITE'S PATH TO THE PREM - IN HIS OWN WORDS

Some reaction to his call was that England should be going for specialists rather than players who cover two or three positions.

But what the versatility of a player like White offers a team is the ability to change and adapt formations at a moment’s notice in a game, maybe more than once, without a drop in standard.

White can be part of a team who are tactically flexible, be it because they want to be or because they are forced into changes by the opposition.

He is fully capable of playing on the right of a three, at right-back in a four and in central midfield.

He has been a forceful attacker down the right at times, notably when he peppered the Manchester City goal last time out at the Amex.

Centre-back in a four is not a role he has really had to play other than in an emergency, such as after Lewis Dunk was sent off at Molineux.

But that is what White’s versatility is all about rather than as some sort of old-fashioned Jack-of-all-trades fill-in option.

So a favoured role for this man of many talents?

“I am not too fussed,” he said.

“Obviously I just love playing the game and I think centre-half is my strongest position, but I feel like I can do a job in the others.”

Uncertainty over the England centre-back role in the tournament continued last night as Harry Maguire was only on the bench with Manchester United for the Europa League final due to an ankle injury.

The big chance could yet come for White.

He will not be lacking support should it happen.