ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson has told more young Premier League hopefuls to follow the example of York City's loan star Shaq Coulthirst.

The 20-year-old Tottenham striker, who played alongside current Three Lions ace Harry Kane during their academy days together at White Hart Lane, is gaining valuable experience learning his trade with City in Sky Bet League Two, according to Hodgson.

During a visit to the University of York, where he was opening the 51st Roses tournament between the Heslington-based students and their Lancaster counterparts, Hodgson said: "Harry Kane and Andros Townsend have both gone down the divisions to play football and, if you go back even further, people like David Beckham did the same when he went to Preston.

"If you are looking for precedents on how going out on loan has helped professionals in the past, there are plenty and I feel it can only be a good thing.

"The bottom line is, sooner or later, if you are going to become a good player, you've got to be able to play at a very, very competitive level where every point counts for something against more experienced, older and physically stronger players.

"Going out on loan gives you that chance and, when you go back to your club, hopefully you will have benefitted from that."

Hodgson was holding a question-and-answers session in the sold-out university central hall before making a short speech to the Roses Festival crowd on an outdoor stage prior to a firework display.