Bristol City striker Tommy Conway has earned a late call-up to Scotland’s provisional squad for the European Championships following his goalscoring turn for the Under-21s in Turkey.
Conway had flown from Istanbul to Scotland to meet the rest of the squad after receiving the call from Steve Clarke. The 21-year-old opened the scoring for Scott Gemmill’s U21s with a first-half header on Monday evening but they fell to a 2-1 defeat.
An opportunity has presented itself after Lyndon Dykes was ruled out of Euro 2024 due to an injury sustained in training on Friday, leaving Clarke with just two centre-forwards in Lawrence Shankland of Hearts and Southampton’s Che Adams. The Scottish FA have also confirmed that young Liverpool forward Ben Doak has been withdrawn also due to injury.
Conway has limited time to make an impact, with Friday’s deadline to confirm the final 26 coinciding with their final pre-tournament friendly against Finland, but given the lack of goalscoring options in the group is immediately in contention to make the travelling party for Euro 2024.
The Taunton-born forward, who qualifies for Scotland through his late grandfather Danny who hailed from Stirling, was left out of the original 28-man group that was announced on May 22, and instead selected for the U21 side, who he has made seven appearances for since his debut in 2022.
The 21-year-old is uncapped at senior level but will have a familiar face greeting him in Glasgow in the form of Robins teammate Ross McCrorie, who made his first senior appearance for his country on Monday afternoon in a 2-0 friendly victory over Gibraltar.
Scotland open their campaign and the tournament itself against hosts Germany on June 14 in Munich, with Switzerland and Hungary also in their group. Speaking in March, Conway had joked that had he not been selected, he’d be making the journey anyway, in kitman Scott Murray’s van.
“He’s driving from Bristol to Germany with his brother,” Conway said. “If I’m not going I said I’d be jumping in with him. It’ll be class. He was thinking I’d be the man to get the tickets! I said I hoped I could!
“I’ll be there as a player or as a supporter. I’ll be out on the streets singing the songs! Of course, you have to dream about making it there as a player, though. That’s what it’s all about.”
Conway’s presence in the squad, and potentially the tournament itself, could have considerable ramifications for City given the striker is entering the final 12 months of his contract at Ashton Gate.
City have offered him renewed terms which as yet remain unsigned with the academy product having interest from clubs within the Premier League and north of the border. Conway scored 12 goals in the 2023/24 campaign, in all competitions, to match his total from the previous season and has been a regular starter in the Championship over that period.
Any appearance at international level, and in a major tournament, will significantly boost his profile and therefore possibly his value as City are well aware of a situation whereby they will reluctantly have to sell the striker in the forthcoming transfer window if he continues to refuse to commit his future, as he’ll otherwise leave for mere compensation in 12 months time on a free transfer.
Should Conway be selected for Euro 2024, with Scotland’s final group game on June 23, even an early elimination will mean he’ll be afforded extra time off before reporting back for pre-season training at the High Performance Centre later this month.
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