Promotion experience can come in handy for Dons defender Jones
“I want to get promoted this year”
Sticking around in League Two is not part of the plan for MK Dons defender Gethin Jones.
The 29-year-old Australian joined Paul Warne’s side after leaving Bolton Wanderers earlier this summer, having helped the Trotters out of the fourth tier a few years ago.
This season will be the third consecutive year Dons have been in League Two, having missed out in the play-offs in 2023/24 before their dismal showing last time out, finishing 19th.
Getting promoted though is very much the ambition this year, with the club spending big not only to attract Warne as head coach but in the recruits through the door to.
Knowing what it takes to get out of the division, Jones said his experience at Bolton and playing at a higher level is something he believes will pay dividends at MK1.
“I got promoted with Bolton, so I know what it’s all about,” he said. “When I spoke to the gaffer and the club, I was attracted to the project so it was a no-brainer for me to come. I want to be a part of it and I want to get promoted this year.
“By the looks of the signings and the team the gaffer is putting together here, it shows the intent of the club. We’ll have to wait and see how it goes, but we all know what the target is.”
His experience too, Jones hopes, can be of benefit to some of the younger players starting to come through the academy system and into Dons’ development squad.
On Tuesday night, three teenagers and a 20-year-old finished the game in defence against Peterborough United, and having nearly 300 games under his belt, as well as international experience too, Jones believes he can be of real help to the next crop.
He said: “A lot of the young lads have been training with us, getting involved, playing in the games and they’ve done really well. It’s good for them to get minutes, and good for them to see how we raise our standards, and how we go about things every day. The club is in good stands, they’re a good bunch coming through.
“I’ve got a lot of experience, I’ve played at international level, I’ve played against really good opposition, I know what it takes in training, and I make sure standards are high. He has asked me to bring that experience to the younger lads. If we all put it in every day, we can all help each other. It’s good to get that feedback from other players.”