GARY Doherty is the perfect role model for Blues' younger defenders to learn from, believes Matt Bloomfield.

The 32-year-old raised the average age of the back four that started against Watford significantly, as Wanderers fielded two teenagers.

Both of them, Anthony Stewart and Charles Dunne, excelled alongside the former Tottenham man and Bloomfield thinks they can learn plenty from the new club captain.

He said: "Doc's played at a good level. He's had a good career and he's able to pass his knowledge on to the young lads. Who better to learn from than him?

"He's played international football and Premier League football so those young lads coming through, if they're willing to listen - which they are - there's no one more experienced around to learn from than Doc."

Bloomfield has been impressed with what he's seen from Blues' talented young defenders and thinks they'll feature heavily this season.

Dunne gave a display against Championship Watford that belied the fact he was making his first start for Wycombe as he built on an impressive pre-season campaign.

Bloomfield said: "It's been good in pre-season because they have had a good amount of minutes on the pitch and they have done well for themselves. At the end of last season Anthony Stewart came in and did well. You can see he's got a good future ahead of him, and equally Charles Dunne did the same.

"They are pushing for places, shirts are up for grabs and the young lads are pushing in as much as anybody else."