"Leighton has done brillianty for us and his development has been a real plus. He's got better and better and he's leaning all the time which you do as a young player. He's played 20 odd games for us this season now and we couldn't really have expected that from him at the start of the season to be honest. However, the left back slot is his on merit now and he is making it very hard for me to leave him out.
"When he first got into the first team he continued to change with the YT's, but we've made him change with the senior lads now as he is part of the first team squad and a professional too. He's quite a quiet lad but he's doing very well and because he listens to the more coaching staff and more experienced players so well, he deserves the run in the side he has had.
"I think he expected to be left out after he got sent off at Ipswich, but when he had served his ban I gave him a real boost by putting him straight back into the side because I felt he deserved to be there. That must have really increased his self belief and he's certainly got better and better since then.
"As I said, he's been a real plus for us but what I do find mystifying is that he hasn't even had a look in at getting into an England squad yet. Though the under 21's are one option he's not even been called up for the under 19's and in my opinion that's a complete joke.
"I looked in the Norwich programme and they have young players nowhere near their first team who are in England squads yet we have a kid here that is a regular in a side that has been in the top eight of Division One all season who's not got anywhere near a call-up. Don't get me wrong, the Norwich lads are obviously good players but I think it's a joke that someone being as consistent as 'Bainesy' seems to have just been ignored.
"I actually spoke to someone from the FA at one point and they hadn't even heard of him which says it all really. Perhaps it just shows that it's the club that you play for that makes all the difference, and that playing for a so called unfashionable club like Wigan means that you are going to be held back in terms of getting the recognition your performances deserve.
"As I said, I think it's a joke that 'Bainesy's' not had any international recognition for his form this camapign but he's not the sort of lad to let it bother him which is great. He'll just get on with his job here unflustered and that is one of the best things about him as he never lets anything get to him and he just seems unfazed by more or less everything that happens."
Quote from wiganathletic.tv
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