Gethin Jones: Other clubs called, but I didn't want to leave Carlisle Utd

The versatile defender last week extended his Blues deal until the end of the campaign after an impressive start to his United career.

Jones has proved a popular addition at Brunton Park after some consistent displays at the back and the ex-Fleetwood man says he is settled at the club.

He joined in September, having been keen to join a club where he could get regular first-team football - and said he didn't want to walk away from that when Carlisle tabled a contract extension.

Jones has played every league minute since signing and when the chance came to extend his short-term deal, he said: “I had a few clubs ringing up but I didn’t want to just move about. I’ve been comfortable here, I’m happy here, so just I wanted to sign here.”

The 24-year-old Jones feels he is making the most of his chance at Carlisle having spent previous campaigns on the fringes at Everton and Fleetwood, also spending part of last season on loan at Mansfield.

He said: “This is definitely something I wanted to do.

“I was at Everton years ago, kept going out on loan, and things didn’t work out so much at Fleetwood; I was happy to go to Mansfield on loan but one thing I didn’t want this season was to mess about, go to a club where I’ll be on the bench one game, playing one game...

“I know once I started getting momentum I would keep getting better and better in myself. I’m happy with how I’m going; I just want performances as a team and getting results at the weekend.”

Jones admits he became frustrated towards the end of his time at Fleetwood – especially at the start of this season, when he was not involved for anyone’s first team.

The Australia-born defender said: “I remember sitting at home on Saturday afternoons, the first five or six games of the season, watching the scores coming in and getting frustrated.

“But as soon as I came to Carlisle – Stevenage away was my first game – I really just wanted to get out there and play. I had a big buzz about it. We won the game and since then I’ve just wanted to kick on.”

Jones said he is grateful to have had the backing of two bosses at Carlisle – the man who signed him, Steven Pressley, and his successor Chris Beech.

He also said he was reassured by director of football David Holdsworth that his future would be resolved, despite United dispensing with manager Pressley and subsequently bringing in head coach Beech.

Jones added: “I just want to play every minute and get the club back where it should be.

“After going out on loan and moving to differenct places for the last few years, coming from Liverpool it’s easier for me, it’s perfect for me [to be here].

“I know a few of the lads that were already there, and once I knew the club were interested, I wanted to come here straight away and play week-in, week-out; I’ve settled really well.”

Jones said a familiar face in coach Nathan Rooney, who was at the time on loan to United from Fleetwood, had also helped convince him to come to Carlisle.

He has demonstrated his versatility in recent months, playing at both left and right-back, and Jones says he has no problem with being asked to perform in different positions.

He said: “I’m a right back, although when I went on loan at Barnsley I was playing left-back then, and when I first came here I was playing on the right of a back three, which is something the old manager wanted me to do.

“It is easy [to adapt] because I’ve done it for three or four years now – I just have to get ready for it a few days before the game, because the body angles and stuff, in defending, are lot different, and if I’m going forward on the left, I’m right-footed and like to come in more and cross like that.

“But I’m adaptable, I’ll just do a job.”

Jones says Carlisle must build on their positive performance against Cardiff in Wednesday’s FA Cup replay when they face Oldham in the league tomorrow.

United went down 4-3 in a dramatic tie against their Championship visitors, but now need to produce the goods at Boundary Park to ease relegation fears.

Jones said: “All the games we play in are big games, but against the teams that are around us, they are all six-pointers.

“We’ll work hard building up to the Oldham game and prepare well.

“We said in the changing rooms on Wednesday that we’ve scored five goals [over two games] against Cardiff, a really strong side from Championship; they only played one young kid at right-back but that was it, and they made a change because we were causing him problems with Harry McKirdy on the left.

“We know we can cause problems, so we can go into that game against Oldham and really make an impression on what we can do.”

Jones also said he was impressed with Wednesday’s atmosphere as United’s fans tried to roar their side on to a cup upset. He described supporters as “like a 12th man” as Carlisle refused to buckle even when twice going two goals behind in the second half.

He added: “Since I’ve been here that’s the biggest atmosphere I’ve been involved in. It’s really good for us to show what we can do against a big team like Cardiff – obviously they’ve got the big budget and big players, and if we can do it against them we can do it against anyone in our league.

“We just need to keep to our structure, and when we go forward take our chances more. There have been a lot of games where it’s been 0-0 since the new manager’s come in. We just need to take more chances, more shots on goal, and we’ll be alright.”

Jones says in-form McKirdy will continue to be a big asset to United’s team if he performs consistently.

The frontman has 11 goals this season, including four in his last five games.

Jones said: “Harry’s got the quality, he just needs to do it week-in, week-out.

“We know he can do it but he’s starting to get into real good momentum now, hopefully he’ll keep kicking on.

“The goals he scored against Cardiff were unbelievable, including the header down at Cardiff. If he keeps doing what he’s been doing everything will be fine.”

Jones, meanwhile, admitted that United must tighten up in certain defensive respects having shipped too many goals recently.

Their last two league games have seen heavy defeats to Crewe and Plymouth.

He said: “Plymouth are a really good side, we went about it maybe the wrong way, and made a few silly mistakes again which is something we’re trying to cut out of our game.

“Against Cardiff, I think three of the four goals were set-pieces.

“We need to cancel out the conceding goals, that’s a big disappointment in what we’ve been doing lately."

He added: “Oldham will be a tough game, and they’ve not been doing the best either, but if we do our jobs properly we’ll have no problem.”