Jones dismisses player grudge

Venue: City Ground Date: Saturday, 25 October Kick-off: 1500 BST
Coverage: Live on BBC Radio Wales SE FM, commentary on BBC Radio Nottingham (103.8FM and 1584AM), updates on BBC 5 Live & BBC Sport website; featured game on Final Score (from 1430 BST, BBC Red Button/online)

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Darren Purse and Andy Cole have a history of clashes

Dave Jones insists Cardiff City captain Darren Purse and Nottingham Forest's Andy Cole will hold no grudges when the old foes clash at the City Ground.

Purse was instantly sent off after his high tackle on Cole last season when the veteran striker was at Burnley.

Cole needed stitches in a leg wound and the furious striker blasted afterwards: "It was one of the worst tackles I have had in my career."

But Jones now claims: "There'll be no afters, it's gone, it's over."

Cole was so incensed after the horror challenge that the 37-year-old said at the time: "If I only play two games next season, I hope it is Cardiff home and away."

Purse and Cole also clashed back in 2004 when the experienced forward was red carded for throwing a punch at the then West Brom centre-back Purse during a September showdown when Cole played for Fulham.

Now Cole is set to line up for rock bottom Nottingham Forest against Championship high-fliers Cardiff with Purse back in the Bluebirds backline following Glenn Loovens' £3m sale to Celtic.

But Jones maintained: "We've moved on, we're bigger than that and I'm sure Andy feels the same.

"We know that whoever plays for Forest, We'll be ready to do battle as they will be formidable if we let them."

Fifth-placed Cardiff are unbeaten on the road while Forest have won just one at home and are already six points from safety.

606: DEBATE Could Forest ruin Cardiff City's unbeaten away record?

Cole, 37, could feature for Forest as their top-scorer and former Cardiff goal hero Rob Earnshaw is a doubt to face his old club as he has a hamstring problem.

"If Rob plays he'll get a deserved warm reception from our fans," Jones told BBC Sport.

"Rob is a good player who served our club well and he has been a good servant to the Welsh national team.

"Typically he scored against us when he played for Norwich last season.

"But we're not sure if he is going to play against us for Forest because of his hamstring injury."

Cardiff's Ross McCormack has fired nine goals this term and his strike-partner Jay Bothroyd is finally finding form.

The £300,000 summer signing from Wolves has scored three goals in his last four games after a 10-game barren start.

"He has been working hard," admitted Jones..

"He does some good things but he still gets an ear-bashing because we want him to continue doing it, not resting and thinking I've done done that now.

"Our strikers are the front-line of our defence as well as the last line of our attack, they've got to work their socks off.

"When he came here first, Jay would be out on the wing but we've told him to work within the confines of the 18 yard line as that's where he'll score goals.

"And it worked as he scored two in midweek against Watford.

"He took a pot-shot and scored. While it deflected, if you don't shoot you don't score. Now we expect more from him and the fans will too."

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