The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
‘Ricky is not just a 17 year-old, he’s a first-team squad member’
Big match preview: Posh v Burton Albion, League One, Saturday, November 23 (3pm)
Age and inexperience won’t be factors when Posh manager Darren picks his team to take on a ‘dangerous’ Burton Albion Team in Saturday’s League One fixture at the Weston Homes Stadium.
And that gives hope to those keen to see 17 year-old RickyJade Jones make his Football League debut for the club in place of suspended striker Ivan Toney.
Jones has burst onto the Posh scene in thrilling fashion with two goals in two cup appearances.
“I no longer view Ricky as a 17 year-old,” Ferguson stated after Jones scored in Tuesday’s 2-0 FA Cup win over Stevenage. “I see him as a member of the first-team squad.
“His pace gets him noticed, but there is so much more to him than that and he has given himself a real chance of starting on Saturday.
“He presses well, he works hard for the team and, even though he missed a couple of chances against Stevenage, he didn’t hide and he was rewarded with a goal. He just looks like he has a goal in him.
“It was a perfect finish, low and hard, and it’s now two goals in two games which is all you can ask from a striker.
“It’s a tough game for us on Saturday as Burton are a very dangerous opponent.
“I’ve watched a few of their games lately and they can certainly play.
“I’m not fooled by their current League position as they have played fewer games than most.
“In fact, the supporters should realise if they win all their games in hand they will overtake us.
“Burton are a serious threat. They finished last season strongly and they will fancy making up the ground again this season.
“They have an excellent manager and players and they are very good away from home so we need to be better than we were against Stevenage.”
Ferguson will come up against Nigel Clough again on Saturday. Their first meeting as managers was on the opening day of the Championship season in 2009-10 which Clough’s Derby won 2-1.
The match-up attracted a lot of publicity as a battle between the sons of legendary managers.
Clough was also Burton manager when Posh last lost an FA Cup first round match in 2006.
On-loan Josh Knight missed the Stevenage match because of a slight muscle issue, but he should be available for the Burton game.
Louis Reed was rested rather than dropped for that game as Ferguson wanted to see Niall Mason in a midfield role. It’s likely Reed will return to the side on Saturday.
Veteran midfielder George Boyd has seen a specialist about his knee injury and the diagnosis was better than expected.
It’s a nerve problem, although Boyd is still not expected to play against Burton.