Alfie Jones says the time was right to bring down the curtain on his Hull City career, after opting to join Championship rivals Middlesbrough. Jones joined City in the summer of 2020 and went on to play 191 times for the Tigers, including a number as captain of the East Yorkshire club.
The 27-year-old played a pivotal role in helping City win promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt as League One champions, before going on to play 149 times in the second tier.
After five years, though, City opted to accept Boro’s bid which could see the club net £3m for the former Southampton defender, who had a year left on his MKM Stadium deal, though the Tigers did have a 12-month option.
“Yeah, I’m absolutely buzzing,” Jones told Boro’s website after penning his four-year deal on Teesside to become Rob Edwards’ first signing. “It’s been going on for a while now, so to finally get it done, I’m delighted.
“Initially, I had a phone call in the summer from my agent saying there was interest there. As soon as I had that call, it was a case of ‘can we get it done, and how quickly can we get it done?’ It dragged on a little bit, but I’m just delighted to be here now, and I’m ready to get to work.”
Jones says the size of the Riverside Stadium outfit, coupled with the training facilities at Rockliffe, was a key reason for making the move north.
“I think just the size of the club, the club speaks for itself,” he continued. “The infrastructure, the facilities, the stadium, the fans, everything about the club, it’s such an attractive place to come.”
Just skipper Lewie Coyle and Regan Slater now remain from the squad that won promotion under Grant McCann after Sean McLoughlin’s exit last week, and Jones says his spell in East Yorkshire was memorable.
“Yeah, amazing,” he said of his time at City. “Probably one of the best in my career. I think that was where I mostly felt at home. I signed permanently there, so it was a home from home almost. To be a key part in those five years was massive for me and my career.
“I’ve done five years at Hull (City). I had amazing memories there, but when Boro came calling, I wasn’t going to turn it down. I feel like the ambitions of the club align with mine, and when that interest first came about, it felt like the perfect fit for me.”
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