Rio Paralympics: GB name 7-a-side football squad

Michael Barker sustained a fractured skull after a road accident as a teenager

A 14-strong squad has been announced to represent Great Britain in 7-a-side football at the Rio Paralympics.

All but two will make their Games debut with ex-Everton Academy player Michael Barker and Scotland's Jonathan Paterson competing in their third Games.

The squad features seven players who helped England to a fifth-placed finish at last year's Cerebral Palsy Football World Championships.

David Leavy is the sole representative of Northern Ireland in the squad.

The Great Britain team will be hoping to improve on their seventh-placed finish at London 2012.

Among the Paralympic debutants are former Birmingham City FC player Jack Rutter, who will captain the team, and Sean Highdale, who previously played for Liverpool FC and also represented England at Under-16s level. Both joined the national set-up after acquired brain injuries.

The squad also features former Tranmere Rovers forward Ollie Nugent, who currently plays for Chester FC.

As well as Paterson, there are two other Scots included, in Martin Hickman and David Porcher.

"There is no greater honour than to represent your country on the international stage," said Rutter. "We've come together to create a really competitive force and we believe we're up there with the best teams in the world.

"We're going out to Rio to make everyone back at home proud."

Squad: Jack Rutter, Sean Highdale, Emyle Rudder, Matt Crossen, Ollie Nugent, Giles Moore, Ryan Kay, Michael Barker, Liam Irons, Martin Hickman, David Porcher, James Blackwell, Jonathan Patterson, David Leavy