Jones looking forward to going head to head with former boss Slade

Hatters boss Nathan Jones is looking forward to coming up against his former manager Russell Slade when Grimsby visit Kenilworth Road this afternoon.
Hatters boss Nathan JonesHatters boss Nathan Jones
Hatters boss Nathan Jones

The Mariners chief was in charge of the Yeovil side that Jones captained to the League One play-off final in 2007, eventually losing 2-0 to Blackpool at Wembley.

On facing his one time boss, Jones said: “I played under Russ, we got to the play-off final and I was his captain at Wembley.

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“So I know him very well, he’s a good friend of mine and I kept in touch with him after that.

“I thoroughly enjoyed playing under him, I really thought he was a good manager.

“He taught me a lot as he put a lot of trust in his older players, and I was one of those.

“Myself, Terry Skiverton and Marcus Stewart, he knew he could trust us and put a lot of trust in us to control his changing room and we did that.

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“So I’ve got real fond memories of the time I played under him and I know what we’re going to get from his teams.”

Although the Mariners approach the game in mid-table, they are four games unbeaten, taking 10 points from a possible 12, drawing at Notts County last weekend.

Jones continued: “They’re a difficult side, they’re in real good form, they’re a form side at the minute.

“I know Russ will have them prepared and organised and have got decent players who can hurt you.

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“It’s a difficult game, a very difficult game, but they all are.

“We saw Forest Green, we had to see a different threat, and we had to make sure we curtailed that and ran out comfortable winners in the end.

“We’re in good form, we know every game will be different, but we’re in good form and we can’t be in much better form than we’re in, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Today’s game is the last of 2017 at Kenilworth Road and Jones would love to send the give the home fans the perfect festive treat.

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He added: “We’d like to give them a Christmas present, we’d like to have half the season gone and we’re in first and in real good form.

“But the be all and end all is getting three points, regardless of the time of year.

“It’s a cliche, but it’s true. It’s that time of year, but we want to get three points, want to keep moving forward, want to cement our place where we are.

“We’d like to pull away from people, but we can’t affect that, all we can do is concentrate on us.

“So as long as we get the three points, whatever happens elsewhere, it’s nothing to do with us.”