Boss says best way Premier League starlets can gain experience is by going out on loan.

Steve Davis believes that the loan successes of Jamie Ness from Stoke City and Greg Leigh from Manchester City should prompt more Premier League sides to consider loaning their better young players out.

Ness was voted third by the club’s supporters for their choice of Player-of-the-Season and full-back Leigh won Goal-of-the-Season for his wonderful strike against Scunthorpe United in early March. 

Davis, who has always looked to add quality loan players to supplement his own young players’ told the club’s official web-site: “I read all the comments about the top Premier League clubs wanting reserve or Development squads playing in the Football League and I don’t think that all clubs will be able to do that.

“On one hand they are saying that their young players need the experience of playing competitive football and then on the other they won’t loan them out. It is surely more beneficial for them to go out and play games?

“I mean their top young players as well. They seem reluctant to do that and I don’t know why? They seem to prefer to keep their promising players at the club and have them playing Under-21 football.

“That league is getting more competitive and there is talk of promotion and relegation coming into it, but there is no substitute for proper experience.

“They are not even guaranteed to get in the team and have to fight for their places. Greg went through a difficult period but came through it and won his place back. Nessy had to get fully fit and was on the bench for a whole when he first came but they didn’t sulk off back to their clubs. They stayed and fought for the cause and will be better for the experience.

He added: “They need those games and the bigger clubs should let more of them to go out.”