IT HAS been 12 years to the day since John Stones was sold by Barnsley to Everton.

It was a real pleasure to see John make his debut for Barnsley in my position, and I was fortunate to play a part in helping him settle into the first-team environment.

I always believed that one of the key roles of a senior player at any professional club was to support and guide young talent coming through the system.

John’s career has been nothing short of exceptional, and the levels he has reached are beyond what anyone could have predicted.

The fact that he is a product of both the Barnsley community and the academy should be a huge source of pride for the town.

Barnsley FC Academy has consistently produced professional footballers across all levels of the game over the years.

Considering the resources we have, in comparison to much bigger clubs, that speaks volumes about the dedication and expertise of the staff over the years.

However, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for young players to break into first team football, with opportunities becoming less and less each year across all clubs.

This season, our approach has been to send as many academy players as possible out on loan to lower-league sides, and it’s been fantastic to see them thriving and getting regular first-team football.

In addition to this, we’ve had several of our younger players earn international call-ups, which is a fantastic achievement.

Notably, Oliver Wilkinson was named captain of England’s under 16s – a hugely proud moment for him and the club. Josh Kenchington has also been involved with the England U15s setup, while Fabio Jalo, Vimal Yoganathan, Bayley McCann, Jonathan Bland, and Josiah Dyer have all represented their respective nations.

Having so many international players within our academy is a testament to the talent coming through and reflects incredibly well on the club as a whole.