Jones is back at Cobblers with renewed hunger after pulling out of play-offs

Defender Lloyd Jones has extra motivation to prove himself in his second spell at the Cobblers following a decision he made at the end of last season.

The 25-year-old centre-back, who was on loan from Luton Town at the time, opted against playing for Northampton in the League Two play-offs when football was brought back following a three-month lockdown.

Jones’ Luton contract was due to expire at the end of June and with another club expressing interest in signing him for 2020/21, he did not want to risk injury.

However, Keith Curle revealed on Tuesday that that offer then fell through, leaving Jones without a club going into the new season.

“I’ve got quite a good relationship with the gaffer,” said the defender. “I know I played six or seven games when I came here last season but I was only really at the club for a month because of the pandemic.

“I made a conscious decision to make an effort with the gaffer and come in. I’ve been here training for the last two or three months and I’ve waited for my chance due the rules and the 22-man squad.

“I really like the manager and I’m really enjoying my time here now.”

Jones had been training with the Cobblers since the end of the summer transfer window but with clubs now only allowed squads of 22, he’s had to bide his time for a contract.

That opportunity came earlier this week. After Blackpool loanee Joe Nuttall, who managed just one substitute appearance for the Cobblers, was removed from the squad list, Jones took his place.

But it was not just the rules that prevented the former Liverpool youngster from rejoining Northampton, Curle also wanted to see if he still had ‘hunger’ for the game following his decision not to play in the play-offs.

“That was to do with the play-offs,” explained Jones. “We had a long discussion about it and I think that was maybe the only doubt the gaffer had with me before I came back and re-signed.

“I wanted to make sure and show the gaffer, and all the coaching staff and the other players here, that I’m hungry. I don’t want anyone doubting me on that side of things because I know when I’m on it, I believe I in what I can do.

“It was important to me to show that and I really have worked my socks off. Tuesday was my first 90 minutes in 10 months but because I put the work in and the coaching staff have helped me every day, that was why I was able to last the full game.”

Whilst he perhaps didn’t produce his best for Cobblers during his short loan spell last season, Jones has good pedigree in the game having joined Liverpool from Plymouth for £150,000 in 2013.

Now, he has extra motivation to prove himself at Northampton.

“My relationship with the gaffer was a big reason for signing here,” he continued. “I had to make amends for what happened in terms of my decision with the play-offs because I felt that was important.

“I like the way the manager plays and all the boys play for him. It’s a really good setup here with a great group of lads.

“I made sure I came to all the games and supported the boys while I was training with the club and Tuesday was a big win for us.”

Confirmation of Jones’ move came at 6.30pm on Tuesday. By 7.45pm, he was starting against Gillingham in a crucial game for the Cobblers.

Curle needed a win following four successive defeats and that’s exactly what he got thanks to goals from Sam Hoskins, Danny Rose and Alan Sheehan.

“It was really pleasing to start with a win,” said Jones afterwards. “I thought it was a solid performance.

“Two goals in the first-half always help but the third one just after half-time was important because it put them to bed a little bit.

“I thought we defended our box and managed the game really well in the final 20 minutes.

“They didn’t get much out of us and I thought Alan Sheehan and Cian (Bolger) were animals in the air – they were brilliant and didn’t give them a sniff.

“I can’t really remember them having a shot in the second-half so it was a real solid performance and it’s good to get out of the relegation zone.

“Hopefully we can now build on that on Saturday. It’ll be tough against Sunderland but I think we can beat anyone on our day - we’re not going to turn up and expect to be beaten. We want three points.”