Solid prospects

MIDFIELD dynamo Mike Jones is delighted to be a regular feature in an Athletic side he believes is destined to make a big impact in Sky Bet League One.

A summer capture from Crawley Town, scouser Jones (27) has started all but one of Athletic’s fixtures this season.

He was another man frustrated at the failure to defeat Notts County at the weekend, but Athletic are now unbeaten in six games and Jones and the club are both on an upward curve.

Jones said: “I always look to do better and I should have done better with a half-chance I had towards the end of the Notts County game.

“We’re not far away, and that’s probably the most annoying thing at the moment. We’re dominating teams but just not getting the wins we deserve.”

“We’ve got a perfect opportunity to do that on Saturday against Scunthorpe. We need to be on that one from the off and hopefully the goals will start to flow.”

He added: “It was disappointing at Notts County because we felt we dominated from start to finish.

“We can’t keep missing these opportunities. Draws get you nowhere really, and it’s all of us who need to learn that, not just the strikers.

“Our fortunes will turn, though. Soon enough we’ll be putting plenty of goals away and winning two and three-nil, and our performances lately have deserved those kind of scorelines.

“Confidence is still very high and we’ve really shored it up across the back four now. They have been excellent the last few games.

“On Saturday we looked totally solid at the back. The defence gave nothing away.”



ATHLETIC have again been linked with a potential swoop for free agent striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.

But reports that Athletic are poised to sign the 28-year-old former Plymouth, Wolves and Ipswich hit-man have been categorically dismissed by the club.

Ebanks-Blake has been offered the chance to train with Athletic but hasn’t taken up the offer.