Injured Jones call for more protection from referees

Jodi Jones plays international football for Malta

Notts County winger Jodi Jones is calling for more protection from referees after being ruled out until the new year with a fractured shin.

The 26-year-old was injured in the closing moments of a 1-0 home defeat by Gillingham on 21 September.

He is a big loss for Notts, having been voted League Two's player of the season in 2023-24.

"Everybody know how much I love playing football and what it means to me, so any period off the pitch absolutely kills me," he posted on social media.

"It hurts that little bit more when I'm constantly asking for more protection and for opposition players to not be allowed constant free hits.

"Unfortunately this is something that gets brushed aside and results in time off the pitch."

Jones joined the Magpies from Oxford United last year and has scored four goals in seven appearances this season.

The club say the injury has been confirmed as a "small facture of the tibia".

"We look forward to welcoming Jodi back into contention for the second half of the season," a statement said.

Jones has described it as a "small bump in the road, somewhere I've been before but fortunately nowhere near as bad".

Jones suffered three cruciate knee ligament injuries at former club Coventry City and was limited to just 14 appearances in his final two-and-a-half seasons with the Sky Blues before rebuilding his career at Meadow Lane.

He added: "The comeback is always greater than the setback and we all know how I respond to them."