Albion manager Mark McGhee today challenged Nathan Jones and Paul Watson to prove they deserve new deals.

The pair are out of contract in the summer and are running out of time to convince McGhee they are worth keeping at the club next season.

Welshman Jones made an emotional return to the side in the 2-0 defeat at his former club Cardiff on Saturday before being replaced by Watson midway through the second half.

It was the first time Jones had started a match since the 1-0 win over Preston at Withdean in August while Watson's last taste of action had been as a substitute in the 2-0 defeat at Millwall eight weeks ago.

McGhee said: "I keep telling Nathan and Paul that they have got to earn new contracts and that was part of the reason they got a chance at Cardiff.

"It is hard for them to prove they are worth new deals if they don't play but they will get more opportunities between now and the end of the season so it is up to them to take them."

Jones made a bright start at Ninian Park as he flashed a couple of shots wide from 20-yards in the opening ten minutes before drifting out of the game and being replaced by Watson in the 68th minute.

"I thought Nathan did well considering he has been out of the team for so long," said McGhee. "He was unfortunate in the second half that we didn't get the ball out to him on the left and that was part of the reason I took him off.

"Nathan has had a frustrating season but his attitude has been different class. If they gave out contracts on pure effort he would be first choice every time.

"Paul is in a similar situation to Nathan in that he has not played much. He has been injured for a large part of the season but has got to stay patient because he will get his chance."

Watson will be back in action for the reserves at Northampton tomorrow (2.00) along with Adam El-Abd, Dean Hammond and Albert Jarrett.