GETHIN Jones hopes Wanderers’ improving fortunes can help catapult him back onto the international stage.

The Australian-born right back has played for Wales up to Under-21 level so in theory could have a decision to make down the line.

Having returned to the UK at the age of three, playing for Wrexham before picked up by Everton as a 13-year-old, he will have more than a keen eye on Rob Page’s side as they open their Euro 2020 campaign against Switzerland this afternoon.

Heading Down Under remains an option though, despite Wales being a clear preference.

“It’s a tough one because they (Australia) did make contact about two or three years ago when I’d made the Wales first-team squad,” Jones told Everton’s Bred A Blue podcast.

“Then dropping down leagues I’ve been on standby and stuff for Wales but it’s something I’ve got to think about, I’m 25 now.

“Obviously I’d love to play for Wales, it’s my home nation, but I could play for Australia as well. I’ll just have to wait and see how the next year goes and then go from there.”

As Jones explains, it was circumstances that led to him being born on the other side of the world, Wales always having been home for his family.

“I’m Welsh, I speak the language but my mum and dad went out to live there for a good few years and I was born there, and my little brother was born there as well,” he added.

“My dad had his own business back home in Wales and they decided to come back.

“I was three when we came back to Wales and lived in Wales until I was 13 when I signed for Everton and then I moved to Liverpool.

“I’ve basically lived in Liverpool most of my life now, it was a big sacrifice I had to take to get to where I am now.”

Promotion from League Two is certainly something that could help his international ambitions, Jones looking forward to the challenges ahead in the third tier after singing a new two-year contract at the UniBol.

“It’s massive, when the final whistle went (in the promotion-clinching win at Crawley) we looked at the Championship scores and we’ve got Sheffield Wednesday and teams like that, Portsmouth, massive clubs,” he said.

“League One next year is going to be huge.

“The gaffer’s already come round and told us ‘we’re not going to League One just to take part in it, we want to go again, look at the feeling we’ve got here’.

“This club shouldn’t be where it is and we’ll go again next year hopefully.

“It’s been really good, I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve had to work really hard to come to a massive club like Bolton and everyone’s loving it at the moment.

“It’s a Premier League club. Ten, 12 years ago they were in the Premier League and it’s been a shame for the fans how it’s gone but we were glad, for the fans really, to get them back up and we’re on our way up now.”