Jones not surprised Bakinson is becoming a hit at Bristol City

Hatters boss Nathan Jones isn't surprised to see former Luton youngster Tyreeq Bakinson having a real impact on the Bristol City side this term.

The 22-year-old joined the Townb academy as an U10 and progressed through the ranks to sign his first professional contract in March 2016 at the age of 17.

He was given his first team debut by Jones when the manager was in his first spell at the helm, going on to play six times for Luton, until agreeing to join the Robins in October 2017, having loan spells with both Newport County and Plymouth Argyle early on his time at Ashton Gate.

Bakinson made his Robins debut this season though, and has gone on to make 18 appearances, 11 of them from the start, scoring his first goal for the club in the 2-2 draw against Barnsley as well.

On the highly-rated midfielder, Jones, speaking recently, said: "Given time, we knew that Tyreeq would end up in a first team and we wanted him to end up in our first team.

"The trouble is, he saw a pathway that was just delayed.

"If he’d have stayed with Luton, who’s to say - and we let him go three years ago - if he had actually stayed with us then maybe he’d have got in our first team.

"At the time, there was a discussion between us, his family and him and he felt it better that he would develop elsewhere. That wasn’t a problem for us, so we said ‘OK’.

"We could’ve kept him against his will. Akin (Famewo) was exactly the same.

"We felt that these could have ended up in our first team if they were patient and followed the process. They didn’t, James Justin did, so that’s all it was.

"We wish them all the best because we don’t let them go thinking they’re not going to be any good, we thought they were good players.

"We believed in them and we wanted to develop them, it’s just that they lacked patience at the time to trust our process, to get them into a first team.

"How right that has been? Tyreeq is now in Bristol City’s first team three years later.

"We wish them all the best and I hope he does fantastically well, apart from against us.

"Akin’s now in Charlton’s first team, on loan from Norwich and he’s been on loan at St Johnstone.

"So, it’s that process. You can trust it or not. If not, we move on.

"Let’s talk about the positives, the ones that have got into our first team.

"The James Justin's and the ones we’ve brought in and done fantastically well, that’s what I’d prefer to talk about, not the ones that are doing OK now.

"Fair play to them, but that’s not because we didn’t think we’ve made mistakes on them, it’s just there wasn’t the patience there."