Stoke City legend Denis Smith is excited by the talent he sees in the academy.
Smith is currently working part-time as a mentor for youngsters in Stoke's Academy.
He told The Sentinel: "It is harder than in my day to bring local lads through because of the spread of what's available out there and the appeal of the Premier League.
"When I was playing, a foreign player was Scottish, Irish or Welsh, so nowadays there is far greater competition for local lads.
"But hopefully there will be other lads, local or otherwise, to come through and replace the Shottons and Wilkinsons."
