Paul Jones will quit Saints in January to protect his international career.

The 36-year-old Welsh keeper held crunch talks with Gordon Strachan after being dropped for the 1-0 defeat at Newcastle in favour of Antti Niemi.

Strachan told Jones that Niemi is his number one and that has prompted the Welshman's decision to search for another club when the transfer window reopens in January.

Jones, currently in Cardiff preparing for his country's Euro 2004 qualifier with Serbia and Montenegro this weekend, said: "I said a few things you cannot print, that I did not agree with him.

"He told me he was going to change things on the evidence of just one game.

"We had not been beaten for something like seven games until the defeat by Middlesbrough, but he told me he wanted to change things.

"I did not agree but he ended up by saying that Antti Niemi was going to be his number one keeper - and basically it does not matter what I do, I will not be in the side."

Jones says his decision was motivated by the agonising situation of playing in next month's Euro 2004 play-offs and then not expecting another match until January.

"I have made more than 200 appearances in the Premiership, I know I can play there," said the man who has been at Saints for six years.

"I have had a good start to the season, that is the disappointing thing.

"Now I have got Wales to look forward to, the game on Saturday and then the play-offs while I keep my options open for January.

"But I know I must get away, I need a new club to protect my international position.

"After the play-offs I cannot go six months without playing a competitive match if we do get to the Euro 2004 finals."

Strachan defended his decision and reiterated his desire for Jones to remain at the club, saying: "Paul wanted to know the truth and I told him.

"I'd have preferred to keep the matter quiet but he decided to go public. I don't have a problem with that.

"If he wants to leave us then I've told him to look when the window opens in January, but I would like him to stay here and he knows that."

But that scenario now seems unlikely with Dave Jones, the man who brought the keeper to Saints from Stockport for £900,000 in 1997, said to be keen on lining-up with his namesake again at Wolves.

Paul Jones added: "If I needed to prove I can still play at the highest level I feel I have done that this season, not only in club football but at international and European level.

"Everyone would agree. Maybe I think too much of myself, but I believe I have shown my ability at the highest level.

"The most frustrating thing is that I could now wait three months to be able to do something about it, that is a long time in football.

"I am not one to hang around if I cannot play first team football. I need to be playing, and obviously it is not going to be at Southampton.

"I have had a great six years, really enjoyed it, but it is time to move on - for Southampton's sake as well as my own.

"I do not know whether it will be a free. I have thought hard about things over the weekend, but it has come to a stage that no matter what I do after playing so well from the beginning of the season, I will not be playing in the first team.

"Gordon at least has been honest. Niemi is his number one and it is best for both parties if I move on and look for a club where I can play in the first team."

Jones, who will win his 35th cap against Serbia in the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, continued: "It has been a very hard weekend for me - the bench was not the nicest place to watch the Newcastle game because I felt I should be out on the pitch playing. "But he (Strachan) is the boss, I cannot do anything about that. All I can do is put on a 90-minute show whenever I play. If that is not good enough, that is the end of it.

"I hadn't conceded a goal for over 500 minutes before the Tottenham game, I felt by rights I should have stayed in the side.

"But after one game the gaffer wants to change it.

"It looked like he was waiting for one mistake to change it and I told him that because honestly that is how it looks.

"I am just telling the truth, that is how it looks to me.

"It is now a long wait and I will train hard and hope something comes up."

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