Jones rewarded with new Wolves deal

Wolves midfielder David Jones has been rewarded for his sparkling form with a new contract at Molineux.

The 25-year-old playmaker, who has 15 months left on his current three-year deal, becomes the third player in a week to be promised a new deal by boss Mick McCarthy after goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann and centre-back Jody Craddock.

The manager said: "Yes, David another we have offered a new contract to."

Jones, a £1million signing from Derby in June 2008, has played the last eight league games and been one of the key players in the 4-5-1 formation that has helped steady Wolves' performances.

The offer completes a remarkable turnaround for the former Manchester United reserve, who spent the first half of the season out with a knee injury that required two operations and then found himself unable to get into the team with Nenad Milijas preferred in the middle of the park.

But Jones, who was Man of the Match in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Villa, is now keeping the £2.6million Serbia international on the bench.

McCarthy said: "David had to get into the team and play and he's done it. He was injured and getting over his knee injury so we had to protect him.

"But we all know of his ability, his technical ability isn't in question."

The weekend draw, along with last gasp defeats for Burnley and Hull at Wigan and Portsmouth respectively, has left Wolves four points clear of the drop zone on 28 points with eight games left as well as climbing above tomorrow's opponents West Ham, who lost 2-0 at Arsenal on Saturday.

But McCarthy insisted the fight for safety continues.

He said: "We're not safe. We've got to go to West Ham and try to get something. If we do, great. We'll just keep picking up points and see what we end up with."

McCarthy has been delighted to name an unchanged team for the last six league games.

He said: "It helps to name an unchanged team. That luxury wasn't available to me earlier in the season. For example David Jones was injured up until Christmas.

"It was injuries that caused changes as we had players missing. We've worked on it and got a system and Kevin Doyle has been terrific up front on his own.

"It's also helped that we're now getting results."