OXFORD United’s rise up the leagues could lead to more of the county’s youngsters following Callum O’Dowda through their ranks and onto a higher stage, according to Martin Keown.

The Oxford-born defender, who won 43 caps for England, said United’s promotion will give emerging stars an opportunity to catch the eye playing for their hometown club.

Keown, a three-time Premier League champion with Arsenal, believes the U's spell outside the Football League caused hot prospects to go elsewhere.

He said: “The good young players from the area need to have a high enough platform to play from and now the club has that.

“Being back in the Football League and now in League One makes the club a much more attractive proposition for young players and makes them more visible and more likely to be selected internationally.

“I would love see a lot more players coming out of this area – I know they are out there.”

He added: “It must hurt the club when young players from Oxford choose to play for other clubs, and there’s a few Oxford lads at Reading at the moment, Jordan Obita, for example.”

The 49-year-old, who moved from Marston Saints to Arsenal at the age of 13, said the chance was now there to impress for United, as O’Dowda did this year.

He added: “When O’Dowda broke into the first team it was part of an Oxford team playing well in League Two and he caught the eye.

“The club must be incredibly proud to see one of their own coming through the academy.

"Other young players will look at it and realise it’s possible.”

O’Dowda missed out on a place in the Republic of Ireland’s squad for the European Championship despite impressing on his debut as a substitute against Belarus last week and earned the praise of assistant manager Roy Keane.

The Kidlington midfielder was linked with a move to Derby County in January and speculation over his future has returned following his exploits on the international scene.

Keown, who will be commentating on England’s games at Euro 2016, hopes to see the 21-year-old rise up the leagues with United.

He said: “I hope his ambition and the club’s ambition can be achieved together and he stays at Oxford United.

“Bournemouth rose three divisions with the same group of players and there’s no reason why Oxford can’t do the same.”

WAYNE Rooney must start for England in the European Championships to provide the squad with much-needed experience, according to Martin Keown.

The former England defender, who played in two European Championships in 1992 and 2000, said the Manchester United man’s experience was key to his country's summer.

He said: “Wayne Rooney is vitally important for this young England side and he must play.

“I don’t see him playing as a striker though, I would play him in a deeper midfield role.

“I played in an inexperienced team in Euro 1992 and if I was playing this summer I would love to have Rooney stepping out onto the pitch with me."

The former Arsenal man, who lives in Oxford, said England’s young lions would need to learn to navigate the choppy waters of tournament football.

He said: “We drew the opening game of Euro 1992 to eventual winners Denmark and we were annihilated by the English press – it shows what they know.

“There is a huge expectation you have to deal with and if you don’t win that first game the pressure on the second becomes huge – they will need to learn to manage that.”