HE might have been surprised to find Danny Collins lining up alongside him.

But Ibrahima Sonko has poured praise on his new centre-back partner after Collins was a rare bright spot in a grim day at Blackpool on Saturday.

The speed of which Paul Jewell tied up Collins to a three-month deal, and then threw him straight into the side, caught many by surprise – including his new team-mates!

Sonko said: “I was surprised to see him but happy also. He did extremely well and he is going to help us. He was strong and won his challenges.

“He talks a lot and the way he was with everyone, it was as if he started the season with the team. We are hoping things will now get better and better.”

Sonko, himself only a Town player for three weeks, believes his fellow defender has a key role to play in reviving the Blues’ fortunes after a largely disappointing start to the Championship season.

He explained: “It is a long season and we have him for a few months so we are going to try and win as many games while he is here. And hopefully we can keep him longer.”

“He is a brave lad, he is a fighter and we need to pick up on that fighting spirit. He has hunger and if everyone can watch and copy him, I think the team can only go forward.”

Collins, 31, arrived in Suffolk on Friday, meaning his first action alongside his new team-mates was in the pre-match warm-up at Blackpool.

But his 90 minutes at Bloomfield Road was enough for manager Paul Jewell to declare that he would love to sign the Stoke City man on a permanent deal.

Jewell said: “I think Danny has come in and been terrific. I think we are looking at it as a loan to start with. But if he does as well as he has done, then we will certainly be interested.”