From S6 To Liverpool...Via Boro

If, four years ago today, you'd have told me our loanee stopper Brad Jones would end up signing for Liverpool I would have, rudely perhaps, laughed in your face.

I say rudely, but anyone watching Wednesday when Brad Jones arrived on-loan at the start of the 2006-07 season would have probably done the same.

Australian Jones has today penned a £2.3m deal with Premier League 'giants' Liverpool from Middlesbrough, quite a shock of a transfer.

By the looks of things he's come a long, long way from those dark days of dropped balls, a failure to command his area, and some pretty average shot-stopping which dominated his loan stay at Hillsborough.

To be fair to Brad, I haven't seen too much of him in action since he's left Wednesday, the odd game for Boro when we've been playing against them or when they've been on television.

But from the reaction of Boro fans too, this transfer seems to be one of the strangest of the summer so far.

It was a shock to me when he got a regular place in Middlesbrough's starting eleven, let alone securing this move to Anfield.

The 28-year-old is undoubtedly going to play second fiddle to Jose Reina at Anfield, but it's quite a fee for a pretty average goalkeeper, nevertheless.

Jones being deemed as a 'home-grown' player has probably helped with his arrival at Liverpool, under the new Premier League rules he will slot nicely into their squad for the current Premier League campaign.

But who am I, and no doubt a great number of fans who will question the transfer, to question Roy Hodgson in his rebuilding of Liverpool?

I wish Brad all the best at his new club, and no doubt a dream move for a man who's enjoyed loan spells at S6, Stockport County, Blackpool and Rotherham United during his career so far.

Good luck, Brad.

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