Wigan Athletic guest column - Jamie Jones

We know Middlesbrough are a top side, what they can bring to the table this weekend.
Jamie JonesJamie Jones
Jamie Jones

But we just need to be our normal selves, keep doing what we’ve been doing, and we can keep our run going.

The point against Ipswich wasn’t the result we wanted, but we take it and move on.

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It’s never easy against 10 men, but we never gave up and we got our rewards in the end.

The never-say-die spirit we’ve got is something we’re very proud of.

We dig in for each other, and it’s very much appreciated by everyone in the dressing room.

Look at Leon Clarke – it never happened for him in front of goal against Ipswich, but the run he made at the end took away the defence and allowed Joe Garner to score the equaliser.

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And I think we were full value for our point in the end, even though we weren’t ourselves.

It was just a lack of concentration that led to their goal, a silly penalty after being in so much control.

Maybe the referee was looking to even it up a bit, after sending off one of their lads, and it was a soft penalty.

But you see them given all the time and we’ve no complaints with that.

I was disappointed not to save their penalty to be honest.

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We’d done our research, we knew which way he was going to put it, it was a good penalty, but I almost got there.

Other than that I thought we played well as a backline, and to not concede a goal in open play was a plus.

I’m made up to be playing week in, week out in the Championship for such a big club as Wigan Athletic.

It’s an absolute dream to be playing at this level, and I’m determined to make the most of it.

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I’ve always believed I could do it in the Championship, when I was playing in League One and League Two.

If you don’t have that belief, you’ll never get there.

I was let go by Everton as a kid and since then I’ve always been looking to move up the ladder.

It’s come late in my career, but I’m just aiming to establish myself as a solid Championship goalkeeper, which I feel I can do.

It’s never nice being sat on the bench, you always want to be out there on the pitch.

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You train Monday to Friday with the sole focus being that game on the Saturday, or if there’s a midweek game as well.

All you can do is keep doing the right things, live your life right, and be ready to accept the rewards when they come your way.

I proved I could come in and do a job last season in League One, and I knew it was a massive step up this year in the Championship.

This is an unbelievable league with some unbelievable clubs and some unbelievable players.

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For the gaffer to show so much belief in me is great, and hopefully I’ve rewarded him with the way I’ve been playing.

As a goalkeeper, it was incredible watching the scenes from Wembley last weekend at the Carabao Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City.

I was watching on telly with my dad, it was just bizarre, we didn’t know what was happening!

You’re wondering how the manager got the information that Kepa wasn’t fit to continue – because that information was obviously wrong.

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But as soon as the player’s number goes up, that’s the end of the matter.

That’s the manager’s decision, you have to respect that.

He may have thought he was fit to continue, but it was maybe a tactical change, with Caballero – who’s saved penalties before – coming on.

The young lad will learn from it, he’s come out and said the right things, as has the manager and you have to move on.

I know Sarri was quite animated on the sidelines, but it was nothing to what our gaffer would have been if someone was refusing to come off.

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He wouldn’t have been pacing the sidelines, he’d have been on the pitch himself, dragging you off by the ear!

To be fair that would never happen here, because we’ve all got the manager’s back.

He’s certainly not someone you’d ever want to get on the wrong side of – that’s for sure!

Jamie Jones was speaking to Paul Kendrick