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Survival could take more than 53 points says boss

Dave Jones says he now believes it could take more than 53 points to survive this season’s Championship relegation scrap.

Jones talked a few weeks about targetting the 52-53 mark to stay in the division but, as Wednesday prepare to take on league leaders Cardiff, he said: “Now 52 or 53 points might not be enough. There are some teams who think they are safe at the moment … but they may not be. It’s such a tough, tight division.”

Reflecting on the improvement of recent months, Jones said: “Now we are settled, we are not as naive as we were and the players are playing to the best of their abilities. We want to keep that consistency until the end of the season … but the most important thing is staying in this division.”

Looking further ahead, Jones said: “We have plans here that will drive this club, if it’s done right, and will get rid of those 15 or 20 years of hurt. We aren’t here to do anything else but turn this back into a Premier League club.

“Whether that be next season, or in two, three or four years, time doesn’t really matter, as long as we have the plans in place and we try to do it.”