text: England Under 21 captain Jack Butland has revealed voting for team-mate Harry Kane as this season's PFA Young Player of the Year and hopes the Tottenham hotshot can help him emulate goalkeeping skipper Iker Casillas at the European Championship in the Czech Republic this summer. Butland joined his England manager Gareth Southgate and former World Cup legend Michael Owen at St George's Park on St George's Day as around 35 local schoolchildren from the east Midlands were put through their paces by FA skills coaches at England's plush headquarters. The 22-year-old Stoke City goalkeeper is bidding to be the first England captain to lift the European Under 21 championship since Dave Sexton's team won the trophy in 1984 and Kane is expected to be a big part of their team as they attempt to end 31 years of hurt. Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland has reveled he voted for Harry Kane to win PFA Player of the Year . England U21 captain Jack Butland joined manager Gareth Southgate at St George's Park on Thursday . England U21 boss Southgate demonstrates a drill as 35 local school children were put through their paces . FA chief Greg Dyke has said that Kane's agent had called him to say the Spurs striker wanted to be part of the Three Lions team in June even though he has to go to Australia first for a post-season friendly with his club. On his decision to vote for Kane for the PFA award, Butland said: 'For someone who hadn't previously been given a lot of opportunities, he's been phenomenal. He's come out of nowhere and shown what he's about. 'He has constantly been 100 per cent driven and his finishing is among the best I've seen even though he is young. 'For me, there's not a player of the same age near him.' Kane took his tally of goals to 30 for the season with this strike against Newcastle last Sunday . Butland hopes Kane can fire the young Lions to European Championship glory this summer . Butland was part of the ill-fated England side that crashed out of the Under 21 finals at the group stages two years ago, though he did help the Under 17s win their European Championship in 2010. He said: 'With no World Cup or Olympics, it's a chance to grab peoples attention and show there is hope if you like and that there are good players coming through. 'With the incredibly gifted players we have in this country, we need to produce at a higher level. Players like myself, Nathaniel Chalobah and Nathan Redmond experienced tournament football and won it with the Under 17s and that should help massively. Kane has declared that he wants to play in the tournament in the Czech Republic this summer . 'It can bring a calming influence to the group, we will be able to to give a few words of advice here and there and give people an idea of what to expect.' It is unusual for a goalkeeper to be captain but Dino Zoff (1982) and Casillas (2010) led their country to World Cup wins. 'I dreamed of winning the trophy in the last tournament but it didn't go well then. The motivation has been even stronger to produce something this time as a team and do ourselves proud. Butland wants to emulate Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas by captaining his side to tournament glory . 'It has to be the dream, and to lift the trophy would be a huge honour. Casillas has done it, as a Spain captain he has lifted everything. Whether I was captain or not, lifting the trophy would be incredible.' England's squad for the finals will be announced on June 2. Their first match is on June 18.
target: Jack Butland voted for Harry Kane to win Young Player of the Year .
  Stoke keeper says there is not a player of the same age on Kane's level .
  Butland is hoping Kane can help fire England U21s to glory this summer .