Training with Suarez, Gerrard, Coutinho and co a huge plus for Jones

Recent Town signing Lloyd Jones believes he has benefited hugely from an education at Premier League giants Liverpool.
Defender Lloyd Jones makes his debut for the HattersDefender Lloyd Jones makes his debut for the Hatters
Defender Lloyd Jones makes his debut for the Hatters

Although the towering defender never actually played for the first team while at Anfield, he feels spending almost seven years with the Reds after they signed him from Plymouth Argyle as a teenager, has been an excellent learning curve for his career.

On his experiences of coming up against some of the world’s finest on a daily basis, he said: “I trained with the first team quite a lot when I was about 18, 19, especially under Brendan (Rodgers).

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“But when (Jurgen) Klopp came in, I was injured for the whole year and then the season after I went on loan to Swindon.

“I’ve trained against (Luis) Suarez a few times, I think I was about 18 then, fantastic player, (Steven) Gerrard, (Phillipe) Coutinho, (Daniel) Sturridge, when they nearly won the league, that team.

“Then even training with good defenders you can learn off like (Martin) Skrtel and (Mamadou) Sakho, so that was a really good experience for me.

“It’s really quick. You always need a couple of sessions just to realise how quick it is and get used to some of the top players you’re training with.

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“I was lucky enough to play with some of them for the first team in pre-season too.

“That was a different tempo altogether, probably a lot more on the floor, but a really good experience.”

Despite leaving the luxurious Melwood to further his career, Jones who has been on loan at Swindon, Cheltenham, Blackpool and Accrington, felt Luton’s surroundings were right up there.

He said: “I’ve been really impressed, it’s definitely been the best club facility-wise, who I’ve been loan to by a mile.

“The training ground, set-up, everyone at the club, fitness coach, physio, it’s all been top drawer.”