Barrow AFC skipper Jones: I will fight for my place
Last updated at 17:49, Thursday, 08 January 2009
VETERAN defender and promotion- winning skipper Paul Jones has vowed to stay and fight for his place at Barrow AFC.
Joint-manager Dave Bayliss said yesterday that the 30-year-old centre-half – who has made over 200 appearances for the Bluebirds – could no longer be guaranteed a starting berth in every game following the arrival of on-loan Rochdale defender Marcus Holness.
Liverpudlian Jones, nicknamed Jonah, is set to be replaced by 20-year-old Holness for Saturday’s FA Trophy second round tie against Cumbrian arch-rivals Workington at Holker Street.
Steve McNulty will take over the captain’s armband for that game.
Jones, who has won two promotions with Barrow 10 years apart, said last night: “I’m not one to thrown the towel in. I want to see the season out at least.
“I still think I’ve got a part to play this season.”
He added: “I’ve got nothing against competition for places.
“There hasn’t been competition for me or Macca (McNulty) for a while.
“Last season we were getting away with it because we were winning and there was no need to change things.
“Now results are going against us, yeah, fair enough, go for competition and see if the change will benefit the side.”
Bayliss and fellow joint manager Darren Sheridan delivered the news to Jones at training on Tuesday night.
Bayliss said it was probably the worst thing he’s ever had to do in football.
“We’ve been honest with Paul, we’re not going to do things behind his back, because we owe him. He, out of everyone since we’ve been in charge, has been our leader, first class for us,” said Bayliss.
“It was hard telling him that he wasn’t going to start in every game, but he will start in games, certain games we play in, because we will change our shape every few games and Paul will be involved in that.”
He added: “We don’t want Paul to go, but I know Paul Jones, he wants to play every game, but we can’t guarantee him that.
“It’s a decision we’ve made. We just felt it needed a little bit of fresh legs in there, a little bit of more pace.
“We’ve seen over the last five or six weeks that we’ve needed that.
“It’s been a hard decision, because Paul’s been fantastic for us, but that’s just football.”
Barrow, without a win in Blue Square Premier in over two months and now just one point above the relegation zone, have made five signings so far this January transfer window.
Three of those are one-month loan deals for Holness, Bradford’s City’s 18-year-old central midfielder Luke Sharry and Morecambe’s Barrovian striker Wayne Curtis.
Bayliss, who along with Sheridan has very good contacts at Rochdale and Bradford, said they have 90 per cent guarantees that Holness and Sharry, providing they enjoy their initial spell at Holker Street, will stay longer than just one month.
As for Curtis, the joint- manager said: “Wayne is a different breed to the other two, he’s an established footballer. We have a lot of big games this month, and if he can fire us some goals and to some wins he’s done his job. And then, you know, maybe we can extend it, but I don’t know.”
First published at 11:51, Thursday, 08 January 2009
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
I thought wanye curtis had quite a a good game for his first game. i think he was quite a good loaning sign and hopes he bags a few goals before his loans over. (and hope they extend his loan).
View all comments on this article
Have your say
we are full of praise for DAZ &DAVE & FULLY AGREE WITH MOST OF DECISIONS MAYBE JONAH IS SOMTIMES CHOPED FOR SPEED //BUT IF EVERY PLAYER WOR THERE HART ON THE SLEEVE LIKE JONHA WE WOULD NOT BE IN RELIGATION ZONE. MIDFIELD IS THE PROBLEM BOYDY SHOULD BE ON THE BENCH, JUST WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE FA CUP
Posted by harry on 8 January 2009 at 18:46