Everton winger Anthony Gordon says a tough first season with U23s was the making of him.

Now 21, Gordon has been a bright spark in a difficult season at Everton.

He recalled, "I remember that year very well, it was my first year with the under-23s. I didn't play much, I was sort of coming off the bench, going through that transition of being one of the best in the under-18s to not playing is hard.

"We did the double and it was boss to be a part of, I just didn't play much. Actually, it was probably one of the experiences I learned the most from. I learned a lot from it.

"I went from probably being the best in the under-18s to not playing. It was a bit of a reality check, but a good experience though! Getting used to winning early.

"As well as developing on the pitch, I think we also got a lot of support off the pitch from the coaches and stuff. I can only talk about my experience but I had a lot of different coaches who gave me a lot of different personalities for me to get used to.

"I think that helped me mature much quicker. I had some very nice coaches, some ones that give me a hard time, but they all made me a better person and a better player."