A TALENTED young sportsman with very close Wexford connections had one of the best views of all in the Emirates Stadium on Monday of last week when Thierry Henry marked his return to Arsenal with a fairytale winning goal in the FA Cup clash with Leeds United.

However, Aidan White wasn't celebrating the Frenchman's sublime first touch and wonder strike after coming off the bench as he was a key defender on the losing team! Indeed, White showed he is no man to respect a reputation in the dying stages of the game when he robbed Henry with a forceful tackle close to the corner flag, with the referee waving for an advantage as he raced away while the goalscorer made a lunge at his heels.

This young man with the full name of Aidan Peter White was named after his grandfather, Peter Kevin White of Hantoon Road in Wexford town, and his father, Peter Paul White of King Street.

And while Euro 2012 might come a little too soon for him, he is making steady progress and really impressed on his full debut with the Republic of Ireland Under-21 team last September. 'I'd expect him to go far in the game,' Ireland's team manager, Noel King, said.

After appearing in a friendly against Austria in the Showgrounds, Sligo, in August, White returned to the same venue for the qualifier clash against Hungary the following month. And he marked his third visit to the north-west venue on November 14 by scoring a goal in the victory over Liechtenstein.

White has two main priorities at present - to continue his role in Leeds' bid for promotion from the Championship, and to ensure that Ireland's name appears in the draw for the Under-21 European championships which are due to be held in Israel next year.

'When it comes to international football, qualifying for Israel is the main thing for me,' he confirmed on the official Leeds United website. 'I'll be eligible if we get there and I'd love to go to a tournament like that. It's an experience I've never had before.

'You never know what else could happen and that (Euro 2012) is something I can't really control, or not completely anyway. I'll work hard with Leeds and work hard with the Under-21s but who knows if that will be enough? I don't even know if I've got the slightest chance.'

In the space of four months this season, White almost doubled his total appearances for Leeds, starting all but three of their league fixtures up to the end of November. One of his clubmates described him as 'one of the hottest prospects in the Championship', and Noel King called him a 'revelation', having selected White for the first time in August not long after learning about his eligibility as a result of his Wexford roots. The defender had represented England Under-19s in his formative years but was delighted to take King up on his offer.

White's contract with United ends next summer and the club are understood to be keen to extend his deal. After two years without much game-time at Elland Road, he has given Simon Grayson a solution to the problem of how to fill the left side of the defence.

The Republic, in contrast, are using White predominantly as a winger and occasionally on the right flank.

'It was an opportunity I wanted to take,' White said. 'I wanted to play international football and I hadn't played or been involved with England for a little while. There was no real decision to make.

'I've got strong Irish roots and I've still got family over there, so playing for the Republic is something I'm proud of. You obviously have to consider what it all means but it wasn't like I was going to play for a country I've got no ties to or no affinity with.'

As well as his Wexford town links, Aidan is a distant relation of Cassagh native Brian White who refereed three All-ireland Senior football championship finals and is currently based in Clonmel. Aidan's late grandfather and Brian's late father were first cousins.

Aidan was born on October 10, 1991, and made his debut for Leeds United as a 16-year-old against Crystal Palace in the Carling Cup in August, 2008. A product of the club's Academy system, he made his league debut at Carlisle the following month. Up to May, 2010, he had made 24 senior appearances under Gary Mcallister and Simon Grayson.

He was loaned to Oldham Athletic last season and featured in another 24 league games, scoring four goals. So far this season he has made 26 appearances with the Leeds United first team