Everton defender Shane Duffy says his time at Scunthorpe United helped him prepare for his Premier League chance.

Duffy is just one of many of the Club's contingent of young professionals to have clocked up games in the lower leagues and he insists the experience was key to him hitting the ground with the Blues, that, and the guidance of the senior pros around him.

"Playing at Scunthorpe definitely helped me," he explained to evertonfc.com. "Going out and playing gives you confidence and you are also improving every week.

"Here you are playing with better players and that also makes things easier. I am playing alongside a Dutch international and Johnny has helped me a lot, Phil Neville also, and I couldn't ask for more to be honest."