Rio Ferdinand speaks up in support of John Stones

It's unbelievable some of the comments regarding John Stones that were getting flung around in the wake of yesterday's debacle against Stoke City. Some Everton fans were irate, and were very quick to throw the lad into the fire, the very same fans who were glad to break out in song "Money can't buy you Stones" earlier this season.

We should have sold John stones whilst Chelsea were caught in the hysteria

— Ewan (@Ewan_Cronin) December 28, 2015

And at the moment the decision to not take Chelsea's money for stones looks a really bad one

— Armchaireverton (@Armchaireverton) December 28, 2015

Ok maybe #Everton needs more than one defender. Chelsea can have Stones. That was awful.

— Matt Steinberg (@mattsteinberg42) December 28, 2015

It goes on and on, and these were the cleanest ones I could find. Overreact much lately Blues?

Really, the lad had one bad game and has had a few other mistakes over the duration of this half season. Did you catch that? This is is going to be the 21-year-old's first full season! Stones is going to be the bedrock of the defence of whatever club he plays for, and for the England national team for many years. Calm down everybody!

That didn't stop one Toffee from ringing a BBC radio phone-in to complain about Stones' performance yesterday. It got so silly that former Manchester United and England center half Rio Ferdinand had to call in and set the record straight. Click here for the audio from the call-in.

Ferdinand said -

"I heard the caller earlier and it's typical of people in this country, 'oh he makes a mistake, he tries to do too many flash things'.

"He's the best ball playing centre-half about at the moment. Give the kid a chance to play and to grow and to make mistakes.

"He's going to make mistakes as a young kid. Allow him to do that, because potentially he could go and play for Barcelona, Real Madrid, the top clubs in this country and be the captain of England, and you can build a team around this kind of kid.

"When I came through, Harry Redknapp used to say to me, 'make mistakes, don't worry - but don't make the same ones all the time'.

"If John Stones has got that, which I'm sure he has with Martinez, he'll become a better player, but you've got to stick with him.

"I think most Everton supporters are with him but you're getting the odd guy that comes on and says the rubbish that the geezer was talking about before."

Thank you Rio for being the voice of reason. Now calm down Blues, and look forward to watching John Stones again in a few days, because who knows, he might not be with Everton forever.