NEWPORT County AFC defensive lynchpin Darren Jones says he has no intention of playing for any other club after his time at Rodney Parade comes to an end.

Jones, who turns 33 next month, is in his third spell with the Exiles and wants to keep going for as long as he can before hanging up his boots.

After re-joining County from Forest Green Rovers in January, Newport-born Jones last month accepted the League Two outfit’s offer of a one-year contract extension.

“I’m over the moon that I’m still here,” he said. “I want to keep playing for as long as I can and if it’s not here then I will hang up my boots because I’m not going to move any more.

“I want to keep playing for this club and when that comes to an end that will be the end for me.

“I’m a Newport lad and this is where I want to finish.”

The former Hereford, Aldershot and Shrewsbury defender is one of only seven of last season’s first-team squad still at the club, but the massive turnover of players during the summer is nothing new to Jones.

He has been pleased with the way the close season arrivals have fitted in and reckons manager Warren Feeney must take a lot of the credit for that.

“There are always new faces at lower league clubs and it is a bit difficult trying to play with people you don’t know anything about,” he added.

“But that’s what pre-season is for, to play four or five games with each other and then hopefully a bond will be formed, and by the start of the season you’re ready to go.

“Everyone has settled in nicely. The gaffer is really good with players and one of the better man managers around, and the coaching staff are great too, so I feel it is quite easy for the lads to come in and settle down quite quickly.

“It’s very difficult to start every season with 11, 12 or 13 new faces, but I think the gaffer has nailed it this time.

“A few of us have stayed from last season, he has given out some two-year contracts, and he is trying to build this club.”

At 32, Jones is one of the elder statesmen of the squad along with Jon Parkin and James Bittner.

On dealing with having a largely youthful playing staff, he continued: “Most clubs go with young players for financial reasons.

“Everyone would like to have an experienced team but it doesn’t work like that anymore, unless you’re in the top flight and you can spend what you want.

“It’s about making young players into men very quickly and we’ve got a manager who can do that.”