The late, great Len Shackleton was the last Sunderland player to net for the Three Lions, in a 3-1 win over West Germany on December 1, 1954.

Bardsley says he was singing Bent's praises long before the striker became Sunderland's record signing, and he is confident the free-scoring frontman can cut it at international level.

Bent is set to feature in England's friendly against Brazil in Qatar tomorrow – the call-up billed as the striker's big opportunity to show he should be in Fabio Capello's final squad travelling to the World Cup finals next year.

And Bardsley believes Bent has what it takes to add an extra dimension to the national side's attacking options.

"I just think he's a top, top striker," Bardsley told the Gazette. "I've said so for a long time, even when he was still at Spurs.

"I remember when we played Tottenham towards the end of last season at the Stadium of Light and there was talk afterwards that he might be coming to Sunderland – I said he would be a really good signing for us because he's got a great eye for goal and he has terrific movement.

"That was the thing that stuck in my mind the most – he was always on the move.

"And when you get a player like that it's a defender's nightmare because you never get a second's rest, you're always concentrating and there's that risk you can lose him at any moment.

"If you watch Darren in a game he's rarely giving a defender a second's rest, he's always forcing them into decisions – he's moving left, right, he's dropping one minute and trying to steal yards the next.

"And when you've got a striker like that, he's always in with a chance of scoring against you because if he gets lucky he's past you and away or he's dragging you out of position."

Those are the qualities that Bardsley believes can benefit England as well as Sunderland.

But he believes that as much as Bent is looking forward to playing with the cream of the country's players, players in the England set-up will also enjoy playing with the Sunderland forward.

He said: "As a defender looking to get forward, it's great to have Benty moving across the front line for you.

"He's always looking for the pass or looking to give you an option and certainly when I'm getting forward he's usually there to pass or cross to.

"Hopefully we'll see the best of him in an England shirt this weekend because in my opinion there's no doubt that deserves his chance.

"He's the highest scoring Englishman in the Premier League and on that basis alone deserves a place in the squad. He'll score at any level."