Fleetwood Town's Stoke City loan star and EFL League One player of the month contender Harry Souttar wants more praise for captain fantastic Ash Eastham

Joey Barton’s side have taken 10 points from five games since the 20-year-old’s arrival from Stoke City but centre-half Souttar wants to shine the spotlight on his team-mate.

He said: “Ash has been brilliant since I walked in. He has been the captain and has been a leader back there. I don’t think he has been getting the credit he deserves because I have been getting the praise.

“He should be built up a lot more. As a back four we have been really solid and limited our opponents’ chances, so I don’t think just one man should be getting the plaudits.”

Souttar's form though has seen him shortlisted for the Sky Bet/EFL player of the month award for February.

The defender is up against Southend striker Simon Cox, Barnsley goalkeeper Adam Davies and Sunderland midfielder Aiden McGeady.

But the humble centre-half says if he does win the prize it should go to all of the back four and keeper Cairns.

Speaking about the nomination he said: "It was a surprise!

"It is good for me personally but I don't think I should take the credit it is the whole back four and Cairnsy.

"It should not go to one man but all four of us and the keeper."

At 6ft 6ins, Souttar is not used to facing opponents of a similar height but Gillingham’s Tom Eaves is only an inch shorter.

Eaves leapt above full-back James Husband to open the scoring last weekend but Souttar was otherwise pleased with how Town handled the target man in the 1-1 draw.

Husband’s set-piece secured a point in injury-time and Souttar is enjoying the new experiences of EFL football.

He said: “Eaves is a type of player I have not come up against before. Being a tall lad I am used to coming up against smaller lads. He was physical but I thought it was a good match- up.

“He got the goal and peeled to the back-post but aside from that I felt the whole back four dealt with him well.

“We had chances in the first half to put the game to bed, and if you do not take your chances in this league you will get punished.”