Jerome excited to link up with Morris again

MK Dons' new strike partnership between Cameron Jerome and Carlton Morris showed its first signs of bearing fruit on Saturday with both on the scoresheet against Gillingham.

The pair got to know each other earlier in their careers when at Norwich, with Jerome the star striker for the Canaries and Morris the youngster in the academy. But even then, Jerome knew Morris had the attributes to be a top striker.

Now with the pair at MK Dons, Jerome is eager to strike up a strong bond with Morris again.

"Carlton reminds me a lot of myself," he said. "Carlton has every tool in the bag and been unfortunate with injuries, having seen him play he has developed. He has all the attributes to go to the top. Carlton is young and athletic and that’s great for us.

"He’s hungry to show everyone what to do, I was on him on Saturday and told him he needs to score and he done just that. I said to him after he should’ve had two – he’s got to be greedy for goals. He’s got to show everyone what he’s capable of doing."

Jerome too hit back at some of his initial doubters who questioned whether he could cut it in League One, scoring 20 minutes into his first start for Dons. While a lot has been made of his experience, the 34-year-old says if he was only here to add to morale, he would be on the sidelines with Russell Martin.

He continued: "If I was here just to be a part of it, I’d be yelling with Luke and the gaffer! I believe I can play at any level. I’m fit and athletic for my age, people look at you and think you’ve just turned 34 and think your legs have gone or you’re not hungry anymore – that’s nonsense. That’s what it’s about I want to play for as long as I can and enjoy it, it’s part of my journey and I’m enjoying playing for MK Dons."