Jarrod Bowen, John Stones and Kyle Walker will be key figures in this week's European finals - and their old Yorkshire clubs are feeling the benefit

Sadly, Kalvin Phillips can look forward to a bit-part at best as Manchester City seek their first European Cup, but team-mates John Stones and Kyle Walker will be front and centre, and Jarrod Bowen key to West Ham United’s hopes in the Europa Conference League.

Winger Bowen hails from Herefordshire but was honed in Hull, Stones and Walker came through at their local clubs, Barnsley and Sheffield United respectively.

Hull City got as far as a Europa League play-off in 2014, but Middlesbrough's UEFA Cup final in 2006 was the county’s last proper campaign. David O'Leary’s Leeds United going deep in the Champions League and UEFA Cup around the turn of the millennium feels like ancient history.

But there is still satisfaction to be taken from seeing past players doing well – and practical benefits.

On Tuesday Barnsley signed highly-rated Polish centre-back Kacper Lopata – another Blades product – on a four-year deal.

“(Barnsley)’s got a great history of developing players and I thought I could do that," said Lopata, evoking memories of not just Stones, but Alfie Mawson and Mason Holgate.

Like many academies, Sheffield United's is plastered with pictures of graduates. Like Walker, Aaron Ramsdale, Harry Maguire and current player Iliman Ndiaye were at the Qatar World Cup.

"People talk about it," said Blades manager Paul Heckingbottom, who coached Stones at Barnsley, Phillips at Leeds and Ndiaye in the under-23s. "Del (Derek Geary) and Micky (Michael Collins) in the academy will be saying it's a great example.”

Stones and Walker were wrested away early enough that their transfer fees were relatively modest but having paid £50,000 for a 17-year-old Bowen, Hull sold him for £22m six years later. Selling after the January 2020 transfer deadline – West Ham got an extension that night – probably contributed to the Tigers' relegation but they were pleasantly surprised to have him so long.

“We couldn’t believe no one had come in for Jarrod earlier,” said then-coach Tony Pennock. “He had two-and-a-half years in the Championship and scored 50 goals."

It has been worth the wait for Bowen, his move propelling him into international football and on Tuesday, a press conference for a European final against Fiorentina.

"If you told me three years ago we'd be in a European final, I'd bite your hand off," he admitted.

"The main thing throughout the season was that we stayed up – we want more. The next goal now is to win this trophy.

"I really want to score. Two (to celebrate the recent birth of his twins) would be nice, but I'll take one."

Such talk is not fanciful for the 26-year-old, who has 12 goals this season – five in the Europa Conference League – on top of 18 last.

If the left-footed right winger is important to the Hammers, Stones has come to define City’s tactical evolution this season.

Now Pep Guardiola has a genuine centre-forward in Erling Haaland, he has had to find midfield numbers from elsewhere, and Stones has become the chosen one.

Earlier in the year when he was asked to step up from right-back into central midfield, his Oakwell apprenticeship came in handy.

"We played a style of football which was quite alien to Barnsley because I loved (Guardiola’s) Barcelona with Xavi, (Andres) Iniesta and all those players," his youth coach Mark Burton proudly told The Yorkshire Post in 2021.

"I told them not to worry about mistakes, just get better on the ball. Stonesey took to it like a duck to water.

"If you wanted to make top players we thought this was the way."

In recent weeks Stones has made the shorter journey into midfield from a centre-back position. The reason? Walker.

As recently as early April Guardiola said the Sheffielder could not play as an "inverted full-back" but when the big games came around, there was only one man to turn to.

Walker has started all but one of the last 12 matches – Guardiola made widescale changes against Leeds United – and his pace was essential in subduing Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior in the semi-finals.

The 33-year-old's back was giving him grief before and perhaps during last week's FA Cup final but despite City's embarrassment of riches, leaving him out was never an option.

“The manager said, ‘Just stay inside and come Saturday you will be raring to go’," revealed Walker.

“I’m fine, I was there digging my heels in and getting through it. I won’t be missing the Champions League final for anything.”

Bowen, Stones and Walker have become indispensable to their teams. As Lopata's comments showed, their formative clubs are still feeling the benefits.