Jones accuses Argyle fans of a lack of respect over Potts injury

Hatters boss Nathan Jones criticised Plymouth Argyle's supporters for their reaction towards Dan Potts' injury at Home Park yesterday.
Dan Potts goes down with an ankle injury against PlymouthDan Potts goes down with an ankle injury against Plymouth
Dan Potts goes down with an ankle injury against Plymouth

The young left back had gone somewhat theatrically clutching his ankle after being caught late on after 68 minutes, but such was the extent of the injury, he was stretchered off in considerable pain, to a chorus of boos from the home fans.

Jones said: “I was a bit sad if I’m honest by the Plymouth fans, because he’s a young boy, a good, young honest boy, they booed him off when he was carried off on a stretcher, and that shows a real lack of respect for me, a real, real lack of respect.

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“Now Plymouth have got great fans, great club, great people. I know the people here, know the coaching staff, have played with some of the coaching staff, worked with some of the coaching staff, I know the chief executive so I’m not saying anything about the club.

Tempers boil over in the aftermath of Dan Potts' injuryTempers boil over in the aftermath of Dan Potts' injury
Tempers boil over in the aftermath of Dan Potts' injury

“When someone’s carried off, they don’t know what’s going on. We’re an honest group here, and I don’t like that and that showed a lack of respect for me.

“The boy’s done something to his ankle, but we’ll regroup and I’m just buzzing our fans showed a bit more class than that.”

Hatters were hit with injuries throughout as both Craig Mackail-Smith and Paddy McCourt were forced off, before Potts also had to be replaced late with 20 minutes to go.

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Jones continued: “Paddy was carrying an injury, that’s why we got 45 out of him, and it proved bit of genius from him that unlocked the game.

Tempers boil over in the aftermath of Dan Potts' injuryTempers boil over in the aftermath of Dan Potts' injury
Tempers boil over in the aftermath of Dan Potts' injury

“We’ve had to work to get that team out, but we’ve shown that we’ve not just got a good 11 but got a good squad.

“Benno (Paul Benson) comes on, Greeny (Danny Green) comes on, Magnus (Okuonghae) comes on, they all contribute, they’re game changers and make sure that we see the game out.”

Meanwhile, defender Alan Sheehan only came through after a late fitness test prior to kick-off, with Olly Lee out due to a knee injury as Glen Shea was handed his Town debut.

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Jones added: “Alan rolled his ankle on Thursday and was really struggling.

“We didn’t really know he was going to come through until about quarter to.

“We had to mollycoddle him a little bit to get into him but he showed he’s a warrior and came through in some pain, but he was superb.

“Magnus had to come on for Pottsy, so he had to go back to left back and put in a great shift for me.

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“Olly again rolled his ankle at the end of the game last week.”

With Mackail-Smith appearing to catch his studs in the pitch after 15 minutes, and McCourt also pulling up, when asked if Plymouth’s poor pitch had anything to do with the number of injuries, Jones added: “It’s the same as our training pitch to be fair, so we’re kind of used to be it.

“The pitch isn’t great, I don’t know why it isn’t great here, but I don’t know if anyone else plays on it, the development squad.

“It wasn’t good, it was dry, forecast was for rain, I don’t know when that’s coming, but we could have done with a little bit of a slicker surface, as it makes the game better, makes for a better spectacle.

“But they’re a good footballing side as well, they try to play at times, so it was the same for both sides.”