Manchester City and England star John Stones has paid tribute to the footballing education he received at boyhood club Barnsley.

Now a key figure for the Premier League champions and the Three Lions, Stones was once among the many young defenders learning their trade in Yorkshire.

Speaking to the BBC's Steve Crossman, Stones said: "The coaches [at Barnsley] adopted the style and kind of taught us that way of playing out from the back. We had a great group to be fair, that were good enough to grasp the basics of that style of play, and two coaches that were incredible with getting that across to us.

"Ronnie Branson, Mark Burton, who kind of brought us that style of play when I was 16 through to 18., maybe even 15. A few more from when I was younger - there's so many. I don't want to miss anyone out - I'll leave it at that."

He has credited his former Barnsley coaches with being ahead of the curve in motivating Stones to emulate his Catalan hero.

He said: "It was probably a year or two before everyone started doing it, or trying to adopt that philosophy of playing out from the back, possession football. I think I was very lucky in that aspect and the two coaches I mentioned when I was younger, I still keep in contact with them now. They probably recognised they had players who they could do that with and it's a very bold move.

"I don't like the thought of it being 'because it's Barnsley or it's a youth team, you can't adopt that style of play'. I think anyone that's got a passion or a vision that they can see happening and they're motivated to do that, and get that skillset across to young lads and young professionals at the time, they should go for it no matter what level they're at."

Stones has started in each of England's opening two Euro 2024 fixtures and is in line to feature again when the Three Lions take on Slovenia tomorrow (June 25).