NICK Pope is delighted to have 'great character' Tom Heaton alongside him in England training.

Heaton joined up with the Three Lions earlier this week having been named on the standby list for Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad.

The 32-year-old missed the first week of training at St George's Park as Manchester City youngster Angus Gunn, fresh from a season on loan at Norwich City, stood in for him.

But Heaton linked up with England on Monday to replace Gunn and swell the goalkeeping ranks to four once again.

Heaton and Pope have been together at Burnley for the last couple of seasons but their fortunes have been reversed this term, with Heaton's shoulder injury in September handing Pope a chance which he grasped with both hands, keeping the club captain out of the side once he returned to fitness at the start of April.

But the two remain close and Pope is happy to have someone who has helped him develop at Turf Moor with him in the international set-up for now.

"It's nice to have a familiar face for myself," he said. "He's a great character to have around in any environment."

Pope's call-up as one of the three goalkeepers in Gareth Southgate's 23-man squad followed a fine season for the Clarets as he ousted Joe Hart to earn a place on the plane alongside Jordan Pickford and Jack Butland.

But Heaton's place on the standby list was perhaps even more surprising, with Hart dropping out of the picture entirely.

Heaton hasn't played a competitive game for club or country since dislocating his shoulder in the win over Crystal Palace on September 10, but when announcing his squad Southgate praised Heaton's character and said it would come as a 'lift' to him.

Pope has relished training alongside his club captain as well as Pickford and Butland, two players he gets on with, as the goalkeeping group look to push each other all the way to Russia.

"It's been great; they're two lads (Jordan Pickford and Jack Butland) that I really get on with and we've had Angus (Gunn) with us minute as well," the former Charlton Athletic stopper said.

"He's another great person to have around. We've got a great group amongst ourselves and we're pushing each other every day."