Homegrown youngster Jonny Howson is hoping to see his fellow Academy products impress during the club's pre-season.

Jonny graduated to senior football in 2006 when he made his first team debut and his first pre-season tour came 12 months later when he was part of Dennis Wise's squad in Germany, along with Fabian Delph.

This time around, Simon Grayson has opted to hand Aidy White, Tom Lees and Liam Darville their first senior pre-season tour experiences and Jonny is backing the players to impress.

"I've known most of them for a few years having being around the youth team," said Jonny.

"They are all good players. This is their chance to make a statement that they want to be in the squad.

"It is tough when you come in and you are nervous when you don't know some of the senior players too well, but you have to keep trying to impress, do well, and enjoy it.

"Chances like this don't come about too often, but the lads have done great and they've got a chance to show what they are capable of.

"Hopefully they will make it."

Jermaine Beckford is the only senior player at the club who made his first team debut earlier than Jonny, and the Morley-born youngster has clocked up almost 100 apperarances since making his debut against Barnet in the Carling Cup in what proved to be Kevin Blackwell's final game as manager.

And, following the departure of last season's skipper Frazer Richardson and with expected first team captain Richard Naylor injured, Jonny could find himself in a position of leadership come August.

He wore the armband under the stewardship of Gary McAllister, during injury to Jonathan Douglas, and won't shy away if offered the chance again.

"It'd be a massive thing to be asked," he said. "I enjoyed it when I had it for a bit at Huddersfield a couple of seasons back and at York last Sunday.

"I think the gaffer will rotate it and if Nayls is back he will be captain, but if he isn't and it came my way, I'd take it, and it'd be an honour."

But Jonny has other priorities in terms of his own game for the new season.

"Some games I thought I did well last season and others not so," he added. 

"I need to find some more consistency and keep progressing as a player.

"I'd like to score more goals as well to help the strikers."