Billy never told me why: Jones

TOM SLOAN

DAVID Jones has revealed he was never given an explanation by former Rams manager Billy Davies as to why he was left out of the side this season.

The 23-year-old playmaker was an integral part of Derby's play-off winning team last season and was widely expected to be at the heartbeat of the Rams' midfield in the Premier League.

But after a successful pre-season, Jones found himself out of favour and often warming the bench - until Paul Jewell arrived and then the ex-Manchester United youth prospect suffered a double hernia.

Now, he has recovered and is showing Jewell what he can do, enjoying his best run of the campaign, netting a goal against Chelsea and then earning man-of-the-match plaudits against his former club.

But he never found out why he was left out by Davies.

He said: "I didn't expect that was going to happen. Last season I was playing all the games really so this season I was looking forward to playing most games in the Premier League.

"Obviously, you haven't got a right to start, but from the word go I never really got an opportunity and then there was a change of manager and I got injured straightaway so it's been disappointing for me but it makes you apprectiate when you're fit and playing, how good it is.

"I never really got an explanation. In pre-season, the manager then, Billy Davies, just told me to be patient which I didn't really understand because as a young player you want to be playing all the time but I just tried to show all I could do in training.

"It never really worked out and then, as I said, there was the change of manager and I got injured so there wasn't an explanation.

"I thought I was playing well in training and things, showing in the pre-season games I was carrying on from where I left off last season - I thought so anyway - but the manager had a different plan for me at the start of the season.

"It's nice just to be fit and playing again.

"I've had a stop-start season and it's nice to be training again without feeling niggles or trying to get over and injury.

"Obviously I had a hernia which was difficult and it took me a while to get over that.

"You've got to get what you can from the season. Our aim at the moment is get past the 15 points. It's going to be difficult but we can do it. We showed in the last few weeks we've put on some better performances and could've - going back to Man United, although they missed some early chances - we could've got something from the game.

The likeable Jones is now looking forward to being a part of Jewell's rebuilding of the club and is determined to be part of the future at Pride Park.

He said: "I want to be part of it. When I came, I said this was a big club - everything about it I like - and the manager has tried to make this a fun place to come and work. Although things haven't been going well, he has tried to get all the players wanting to come here and show him they want to be here.

"I think it's a club that's still going places, depsite being relegated, and there's still the potential to be a really big club and do well in the Premier League.

"If I can just show the manager in all the opportunities I get, I'd like to stay here."

Meanwhile, Jones has ruled out making an international debut for Wales. Although born in England, he qualifies for Wales through parentage, but he will not be pulling on a Welsh jersey as he feels English.

He said: "I consider myself as English really because I was born in England and growing up it's just how you feel really. I've always considered myself as English so I haven't got the desire to follow another path really at the moment.

"No, I'm not thinking about it."