CHERRIES striker Sam Surridge reflected on his time playing alongside Poole-born Ben White at under-15 level – and recalled him scoring from 50-yards out!

White completed his move to join Arsenal for a reported £50million last week, having come through the ranks at Brighton after being released as a youngster at Southampton.

But Surridge played alongside the now England centre-back with Poole & East Dorset, during the English Schools Under-15 competition eight years ago.

Their side, which also included the likes of Matt Neale, Keelan O’Connell, Gerard Benfield and Curtis Young, reached the quarter-finals of the national competition.

And in the last-16 against Swansea, Surridge reflected on a magic moment from former team-mate White.

He told the Daily Echo: “I remember he lobbed the keeper from about 50 yards or something – we won and I remember that game!

“Those competitions were great for me when I was younger because it was something to showcase what I could do.

“Ben was still at Southampton at the time I think and then he ended up going to Brighton from there.

“We did have a good team, there were some other players in there. I think we lost to Brent in the next round.”

White, 23, grew up in the south, attending Queen Elizabeth's School in Wimborne, while also playing football for the county side.

His path to the top was far from straightforward, released by Saints as a teenager and coming through lower league loan spells, before helping Leeds United clinch promotion from the Championship and establishing himself as a key centre-back for Brighton.

The talented defender has now gone on to sign for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, having also been part of Gareth Southgate’s squad for Euro 2020.

Speaking before White’s move to Arsenal was finalised, Surridge said: “I know Ben well and he’s a nice lad.

“Me and Ben got on playing in the same team when we were younger. I think it was East District and he went to QE.

“With me at Ferndown anyway, we have always known each other growing up.

“He has obviously done really well for himself and it’s nice. It’s nice to see someone do so well and it looks like he’s going to get a nice big move to Arsenal.”

Surridge added: “When he was younger, I think he played out wide quite a lot from what I remember. That’s when I knew him when he was younger.

“I think Southampton turned him into a right-back but when he was even younger, he used to play more forward, you can see when he is comfortable in possession.

“You can see how comfortable and technically good he is – because he’s played forward.

“He is obviously doing so well for himself now and you can see his composure.”