Gavin Cowan keen to extend young gun Eddie Jones’ stay with AFC Telford

Full-back Jones has made a favourable impression at the New Bucks Head since agreeing a temporary switch from Championship outfit Stoke City last month.

The 19-year-old former Wales under-17 international was loaned out to gain further experience in a deal that runs until January.

Both clubs are happy with the youngster’s progress and Bucks boss Cowan is keen to extend his stay.

“That’s the conversation at the moment, “ said Cowan, who takes his side to Darlington tomorrow for a third round FA Trophy tie.

“Eddie has come from Stoke and he is doing all he can to get as much experience as possible.

“It’s a great relationship that we have got with Stoke City and we are very thankful to them for seeing the bigger picture and wanting to get Eddie games.

“Eddie has been exemplary since he came in. He is an extremely hard worker but has the quality and talent to go with it.

“I think he will have a future in the game if he keeps applying himself the way he is.

“Stoke are very happy with the agreement and obviously Eddie is getting games and getting experience.

“He is developing very quickly. They are very happy that he has improved very quickly with us. I think they trust me and my staff to give him the right messages.

“League clubs are sometimes loathed to send players out because they worry what messages they get.

“But I think they are very pleased with the messages that he is getting to continue his football development.

“It’s football development for them, but it’s football results for us and they understand that. So he has to perform and he is doing so.

“And if he continues to do so, he will stay in the team until the end of January and then we will reassess it with Stoke.

“But they are very pleased with the way things are at the moment, as are we.”

Jones is set to feature against Darlington tomorrow, at the ground where he made his debut for Bucks in a 2-1 league triumph in November.

And he will travel in buoyant mood having notched his first goal for the Bucks during Tuesday night’s record-breaking 10-1 FA Trophy success at Coleshill Town.

Cowan’s men were out through a more gentle training session last night with the boss weary of hectic period facing his side.

“I think there is a little bit of fatigue in there with a lot of the players,” said Cowan. “We have played more games than anyone in the league. So we had a bit of down time on Thursday night just to get the players ready and straight at it for Saturday.”