CLEVER JACK’S TOP MARKS

Stoke City v Birmingham

JACK BUTLAND won’t need to do any homework on interim Blues chief Steve Spooner.

For Stoke’s shot-stopper was schooled by the stand-in Birmingham boss when he was a young hopeful at St Andrew’s.

Butland will cross swords again with Spooner, brought in after Pep Clotet’s reign was brought to a premature end in midweek, for today’s crunch clash at the bet365 Stadium.

Spooner says he knew that Butland (right) was on the fasttrack to success when he caught him doing his homework on the team bus.

He said: “Jack was a terrific kid – well-disciplined and respectful. That’s the way we like to bring up our lads, but he was a very motivated young man.

“Young footballers at 15 or 16 tend to push their schoolwork to one side and use the excuse that their football is so important to them.

“But Jack was different – he would do his in the back if he was picked up, or if he came by train.

“He was very focused on everything he wanted to do and equally he was quite upfront with any opinions.

“I think that stood him in good stead – when he’s been with the England squad he’s always made himself available to the media because he knows how to handle himself.

“His career hasn’t gone the way he – and we –would have thought at one stage.

“Sometimes there are a few speed bumps and they help give you the sort of resilience to make you a better person and a better player.

“I’m sure Jack will bounce back. I really enjoyed working with him, he’s a super lad.”