Burton reaped the rewards of his approach, not only in terms of player development, but also with performance.
Stones’ youth team punched above their weight, getting results against the likes of Liverpool and Fulham, whilst one of their more memorable displays saw them claim a 2-1 victory away at Arsenal.
The Gunners’ carpet like pitch was a world away from Barnsley’s facilities and Burton can still remember his players taking photographs before the game against a side boasting some of the best young talent in the country.
It was deemed a significant test, but Stones proved he was more than at home in such company, providing an assist on a day which highlighted that the next step was in sight.
“Prior to moving to Barnsley, we were made aware of John Stones’ ability,” explains Keith Hill, who gave the defender his senior debut.
“As soon as we got to the club, we integrated him into the first team, and we knew straight away what an outstanding character he was.
“For somebody so tender in age, he was a leader, very vocal on the pitch. He definitely had the strength of character to deliver a manager's plans and we knew straight away he would progress through the football pyramid.”
Hill was appointed Barnsley boss in June 2011 and handed a 17-year-old Stones his debut as a substitute in a 4-0 Championship defeat to Reading the following March.
The defender would make another appearance from the bench in a 0-0 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion on the final day of the 2011-12 season and by the start of the new campaign, he was firmly in the manager’s first team plans.
During his time at Rochdale, Hill had earned a reputation for giving young players an opportunity and whilst he feels his willingness to do so may have aided Stones, he had no doubt about the player’s ability to perform in the unforgiving world of the Championship.
“I think it helped him that I was manager of Barnsley,” he adds.
“I'm not afraid to play young players if I feel as though they're good enough. I will guard those players. I'll protect those players while they're making mistakes, while they're being introduced into cutthroat environments.
“I think that definitely helped John. I think he'd agree with that. Many managers tend to ignore the kids because it's all about self-preservation, but he performed brilliantly for me.
“As a management team, me and David Flitcroft wanted to pass the ball. Regardless of position, you need to be able to pass the ball. You need to be able to handle the ball and John could handle the ball regardless of position.
“He could play as a defensive midfielder, a central defender, right-back or left-back. He was very adaptable, but he was an educated football player.
“It was his hometown club, but we had no hesitation at playing him and we probably played him and led him into being a centre-half by playing him right-back.
“There were times when I felt it was necessary to take him out of the pressure cooker environments, but he learned while he wasn't playing as well and then we'd throw him back in.
“He is a very grounded character, somebody who does want to learn.
“It doesn't matter for me if I was managing Rochdale, Barnsley or Barcelona, for example, the type of character and player that John Stones is, he can't be ignored regardless of the stature of the football club.”
It is a sign of Hill’s trust in the youngster that he continued to play him in a side struggling in the Championship.
Barnsley won just five of their opening 24 games in the 2012-13 season, which led to the manager’s sacking a month before Stones’ January departure to Everton.
The defender made 26 appearances in his breakthrough season and, whilst it was a steep learning curve, he feels the exposure to men’s football at such an early age was invaluable for his development.
“I was lucky enough to play in the Championship at the time and I got into the team under Keith Hill and they gave us a chance,” he explains.
“They saw something in me and I was very fortunate to play in a great league. I think sometimes the Championship can get spoken down a bit and it’s so difficult.
“I remember my first game in a very hostile environment at Millwall.
“I was playing right-back then got moved to left-side centre half, which I’d never done, against Chris Wood, who’s a big hold-up striker and very good at what he does.
“I was aggressive against him, tried to use my brain as I was never going to out-muscle him off the ball, but I don’t think Millwall got a sniff after that.
“Chris Dagnall, who was our striker at the time, went on and scored a late winner, chipped it over the keeper and that was it, 2-1.
“It was another special day because another player that I played with, Bobby Hassell, a club legend at Barnsley, coached me through the game.
“I was getting quite angry in the game, maybe too aggressive at times and he just said: ‘Calm yourself down, make sure you just keep playing and keep showing for the ball,’ and that’s what I did.
“That was another point in my game where I realised I could do it against the guys that were stronger than me and more physically robust. I learnt I had to use my head more than my body.”
An ability to quickly learn from experiences may go someway to explaining why, talent aside, Stones was fast-tracked into Barnsley’s senior set-up.
Speak to anyone who worked with him in those early years and they will tell you his capacity for taking on new information set him apart from his peers.
It was something which stood out to Paul Heckingbottom, who began his coaching career at the Tykes’ academy.
Now in charge of Sheffield United’s Under-23s, the 44-year-old was brought in as Stones was on the verge of making the jump to the first team and was instantly impressed with his composure and his unflappable temperament.
“There was a game at Oakwell, I remember him getting under the ball and being taken out of the game with one pass,” he recalls.
“He was upset with himself, you could see it, and more or less the exact scenario happened two minutes later. He adjusted his position, picked up the ball and came away with the ball.
“He’d not had any time to be spoken to about it. He’d just figured that positioning out himself and dealt with it.
“Those are the moments when you are looking as a coach when you think he’s got it – regardless of performance – the ability to make good decisions and learn from them.
“When you are looking at it, not as a fan but as a football coach, it’s instances of games where they are showing signs they can cope with what’s in front of them, or they can cope with even more, that stand out.
“He's a down to earth lad and I think that comes across as well. He can deal with mistakes.
“While it does bother him and it would bother anyone, he can reframe it in a way where he says it’s been, it's gone and then the next moment is all that matters.
“I'd say that's his real good strength and it's been really apparent in his development. Then, when he's got to the top level, he's been able to go again and progress again.”