Ross Barkley

When I broke into the Everton side under Roberto Martinez, I was playing in the No. 10 role, and I had never played there before, so I was getting used to that role as a first-team player.

I am thankful for everyone at the club that helped me, the fans, the coaches that I have had, the staff that have helped with injuries, I am really grateful to everyone at Everton. It was like a family to me.

I have got a lot of confidence in my ability now, and I feel like I am going in the right direction and this shows in my performances on the pitch. As a person I feel a lot more confident.

When I was at Everton, I went through a lot of up and down spells, lacking in confidence.

I've matured, I understand the game much more, which can be natural as you grow up.

It was when I came back from Leeds that things started to change. I went from being a kid to having to man up and going into a man's game.

I just focus on getting better every day, putting things right in training and then hopefully what I'm doing right in training I'm doing to show in games as well.

Mum used to have my sister to look after, so I had to make my own way to training. I would get a bus to town and another one to Netherton. It would take about an hour.

Day-to-day training with world-class players, there is no better feeling than that.

Now and again there are a few cookies going around the training ground. If we have played a game I can afford to have one.

I signed as an 11-year-old for Everton. I broke into the Under-18s at the age of 14, then the reserves at 15, then I was in the first-team squad at 16.

I have had expectations on me from a young age and I have dealt with them.