Jamie Jones aims for Champion-ship future with Wigan Athletic!

The 30-year-old was coming to the end of his second 12-month deal with Latics, whom he joined in the summer of 2017 after rejecting a new deal at Stevenage.

But boss Paul Cook has tied him down to a contract extension in recognition of his efforts this term, which saw him displace Christian Walton for two-and-a-half months and named player of the month for February.

And Jones is hoping the 5-2 win over Bolton last weekend – which took Latics three points clear of the drop zone, with eight games to go – will help him realise his ambition of remaining in the second tier.

“The Championship is where we belong, as a minimum,” he said.

“We had a good win at the weekend to move that little bit closer to safety, and we have eight games to go in which we are going to work hard to get safe as soon as possible, and then look to next season.

“We’ve got a lot of confidence from that win, and in some ways it is unfortunate we have the international break now.

“But we’ll take the rest around training this week, and will be raring to go next week against Brentford.

“This is the time of season when you can tell how good your squad is, your togetherness, and we have a brilliant group.

“That’s credit to the recruitment staff and the gaffer for bringing the right players in.”

Walton was recalled at the weekend after Jones made his 13th appearance of the campaign last week at Blackburn.

But after spending most of his time with Latics on the bench, Jones is not content to just sit back and allow Walton a free run at the No.1 jersey.

But there will never be anything other than friendly rivalry between the pair.

“We make each other better by being so competitive and by pushing each other,” Jones acknowledged.

“I found that with Christian when I was in the team, and now I’ll have to do the same with me being out of the team.”

And he admits the decision to stay with Latics until 2021 was an absolute no-brainer.

“I am over the moon,” Jones added.

“To be at a club like Wigan Athletic in the Championship is where I want to be.

“It is such a well-run club. It has everything about it with great staff, great fans and team-mates that have been there for me every minute I have been here.”