The unknown Middlesbrough FC signing that is now a major force | OneFootball

Highlights

In the summer of 2019, Middlesbrough made two unheralded signings when they recruited winger Isaiah Jones and right-back Sam Folarin from Isthmian South Central Division club Tooting & Mitcham.

The pair impressed during the club's 2018/19 season, where the London-based side finished sixth in the eighth tier of English football.

The pair were brought to the Riverside Stadium as ones for the future with the step-up in quality between the two divisions meaning it was always going to take a little while to get up to speed with the demands of Championship football.

Jones began his Boro career featuring for the club's U21 side in Premier League 2. The winger impressed for the development side during the first-half of the 2019/20 season, making 12 appearances where he registered three goals and two assists.

His form for the U21s was enough to attract the interest of Scottish Premiership outfit, St Johnstone. He joined the club on loan in January but found game time hard to come by north of the border, featuring just once in the Scottish Cup against Ayr United.

His loan was curtailed thanks to the pandemic and Jones returned to his parent club for the beginning of the 2020/21 season. He'd continue his impressive form for the club's U21 side during the first-half of that campaign, before being rewarded with his first-team debut in an FA Cup tie with Brentford in January 2021.

Jones would spend the second-half of the season on loan in Scotland again, this time playing for Ayr United in the Scottish Championship. It proved a more fruitful loan spell with the winger making 12 appearances, registering one goal and six assists.

His form in Scotland was enough to impress manager Neil Warnock and the winger was rewarded with a first-team chance at the start of the 2021/22 season.

How has Isaiah Jones performed for Middlesbrough?

Since breaking into the team under Warnock in 2021, Jones has proved himself to be more than capable at Championship level. In his first three Championship appearances, the winger recorded an assist in each game and was rewarded with five consecutive starts.

It was an impressive start to Championship life for the then-22-year-old, who'd been playing eighth tier football just two-and-a-half years prior.

Jones would go on to make 47 appearances in all competitions for Boro under Warnock and Chris Wilder as the club finished seventh, just missing out on the play-offs.

He'd play 118 minutes in Boro's famous FA Cup win over Manchester United at Old Trafford as the club reached the quarter-finals of the competition.

It was more of the same the following year for Jones as he made 37 appearances in all competitions despite missing a chunk of the season through a hip injury. He registered three goals and five assists throughout the season as the club reached the play-off semi-final, where they were defeated by Coventry City.

Isaiah Jones continues to impress for Boro

He's been a mainstay in the Boro side under Michael Carrick, featuring in 18 of the club's 19 league games this season.

Jones has already had his best season in front of goal for the club, scoring five goals, including two in a recent rout over Preston North End.

The club took a punt on Jones back in 2019, and it's certainly paid off. Boro will be hoping he can help the club go one better this season and clinch promotion, writing the next chapter in this underrated signing's incredible story.