Tottenham starlet Andros Townsend feels his loan spell at Yeovil Town was the making of him.

Townsend has won a call-up to the England U21 squad after impressing for Spurs this season.

"There are loads of players who go to clubs like Yeovil from the Premier League and probably turn their noses up," Townsend told the London Evening Standard. "If you have that attitude, it doesn't work out, so you have to buy into what happens in the lower leagues and get on with it.

"When you grow up at a Premier League club, you're more likely to be better at the technical side of the game. What you learn in the lower leagues is the defending, the nitty-gritty stuff, the streetwise football.

"I was 17 when I went to Yeovil and it was a culture shock for me. Obviously, the facilities weren't the same as at a Premier League club and it took me a few games to get used to the tempo and the physicality.

"I've made a leap forward this season. I'd never played in the Premier League before this year and now I've made three appearances, albeit from the bench. I've made a step up and I just have to continue it.

"This call-up, hopefully, is another step in the right direction. It's always nice to get recognition and to know that you're playing well and you're in form. You can see how good the squad is and it's encouraging for me that I've been included.

"There are players here like Jordan Henderson, who Liverpool signed for £20million, and Raheem Sterling, who has been flying for Liverpool. It has been good to test myself against people like that."