Not many West Bromwich Albion players make history.

But then it’s not often Great Britain has its very own football team.

Craig Dawson, a 22-year-old with a handful of Premier League appearances, will become only the third Albion player to be called up to represent his nation for Olympic duty.

And he will be the first to do so wearing GB colours.

Gianni Zuiverloon represented the Netherlands at Beijing following his arrival in 2008.

Chris Wood was given the nod by New Zealand’s selectors only last week.

“I didn’t really expect it and it’s obviously an honour to be named in the squad,” Dawson (pictured) said. “I can’t wait to meet up with the lads now.

“It hasn’t sunk in and I don’t think it will until I meet up with the lads and the manager.

“Monday was a great day for me and my family.

“The call came in and I was training at a local gym when my phone started going crazy and I realised what was going on.

“I’ve got a few more days at Albion with the fitness coach and then we meet up on Saturday and we’ll find out the plan for the next few weeks.

“Fingers crossed we’ll do well and I’m sure we’ll do everything to do as well as we can.”

Dawson will link up with his interim team-mates this weekend, before the opener against Senegal at Old Trafford on Thursday, July 26.

Should Team GB reach the final then Dawson would miss Albion’s entire pre-season programme, which includes a trip to Scandinavia and a few friendlies scattered along the M1 corridor between Nottingham and south Yorkshire (and Walsall, closer to home).

Previously, Kanu won Olympic gold in Atlanta with the Nigerian squad back in 1996. Inamoto was also part of the Japanese team which travelled to Sydney four years later.

Dawson’s good fortune was perhaps that Stuart Pearce was named as the Olympic side’s boss – the two know each other well from England’s Under-21 circuit.

The young centre-half, who came to the club from Redditch, added: “Stuart Pearce is a great manager and we’re doing well with the Under-21s.

“I’ve been able to get a few starts and play a few games under him.

“Hopefully I can have a good few games at the Olympics, along with a good pre-season and push everyone for a place, which everyone will be doing. It’s going to be a great experience for me and hopefully one that I’ll be able to use at the club.”