Isaiah Jones has been one of the breakout stars this season for Middlesbrough and Neil Warnock has been singing his praises.

The plan was for Jones to go out on loan this season but the club's pre-season changed his opinion, he told to TeessideLive.

He said: "I'm so glad I took him to Cornwall now because he was going to be farmed out again, if I'm honest.

"When I came back for the start of pre-season, there was no discussion about him being in the first team. It was believed he needed to go out on loan again.

"But I saw a little bit in a practice match that we had, and from that I decided to take him to Cornwall and thank goodness I did." he added.

In a slow start to the campaign with just one win from six outings, Isaiah Jones has been one of the main positives for Boro. The versatile left sider has chipped in with three assists already and at just 22 years old looks a real prospect for the club.

With Hayden Coulson and Djed Spence leaving the club on a temporary basis this summer, Jones is taking on the mantle and leading the way to show the rest of Boro's youngsters what is possible under Neil Warnock.

Boro travel to Nottingham Forest this midweek with the pressure mainly on the winless hosts, a nice opportunity to pick up a positive result and try to turn the home crowd at the City Ground.

The Verdict

Considering Jones had never played in the Football League this season he has acclimatised excellently so far and made the huge step up from Queen of the South, where he was on loan last term, seamlessly.

With Marcus Browne, Marcus Tavernier and Toyosi Olusanya alongside him, there is an exciting up and coming attacking contingent at Middlesbrough which is not necessarily what Warnock has been known for over his career.

It will be interesting to see if Warnock will stick with Jones if the going gets tough in recent weeks, Boro are currently placed a little precariously in 15th and a defeat at Forest would set off alarm bells for the club's hierarchy.