Release by Saints gave me fire in my belly - Jones
CITY STAR LOOKING FORWARD TO FACING SOUTHAMPTON
Southampton will play their final Premier League game this weekend, at least for the next year as the Saints face up to a first season in the Championship since 2012 following their dismal relegation. One man looking forward to coming up against the Saints when they return to English football’s second tier is Alfie Jones, who is now making a name for himself at Hull City having been released by the Reds three years ago.
Jones, who signed a new three-year contract at the MKM Stadium earlier this month to cap a terrific individual campaign with the Tigers, is relishing the chance to face the club he left for City in the summer of 2020.
He believes he has a point to prove to the former employers who allowed him to move on.
“I had a year left there, but it was time for me to get out and go and play. They let me go on a free as well, so that gave me the fire in my belly to prove them wrong,” Jones tells the Mail.
“Hopefully, I can prove them wrong with performances next season and hopefully we can be successful next season and prove them wrong that way.”
Southampton have endured a disastrous campaign and will finish bottom after succumbing to a club-record 24 league defeats, with their final outing coming at home to Liverpool tomorrow afternoon.
Jones admits seeing the club he joined at the age of nine go through such difficulties is tough, particularly for those who played a key role in his progression through the academy on the South Coast.
“It’s sad to see having been there,” continued the 25-year-old. “There’s a lot of good people at that club that helped me massively. It’s sad to see them go down but I’ll be looking forward to going back to St Mary’s and hopefully, getting the three points and putting a good performance in.
“It’s a place that holds a special place in my heart, that was the place that brought me through and like I said, there’s a lot of good people there that I owe a lot to, so it will be good to see a few familiar faces, but we’ll want to get the win there.”
Jones and the rest of the City players will know by Monday evening who will be joining them in next season’s Championship. Luton Town and Coventry City set to do battle in the play-off final today, before Everton, Leicester City and Leeds United battle it out to avoid relegation from the Premier League tomorrow, and then on Monday, Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley will face off in the League One final.
Once those games are done and the Championship’s final roll call is complete, Jones says the league will be tougher than ever, but believes City are in a good place after an encouraging second half of the campaign.
“It’s going to be a tough league like it is every year, it feels like it’s getting tougher and tougher,” he said. “I feel like we’ve built a good platform this season to build on, and I’m really excited for next season.”