Joey Jones

2025-10-16T21:33:44Z

2.98.141.170: /* Honours */ Has been awarded retrospective league title medal for 1975-76.

{{Short description|Welsh footballer (1955–2025)}}
{{other people}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Joey Jones
| image = Joey Jones.png
| caption = Jones with [[Liverpool F.C.]] in 1977
| fullname = Joseph Patrick Jones
| birth_date = {{birth date|1955|3|4|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Llandudno]], Wales
| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|7|22|1955|3|4|df=y}}
| death_place =
| currentclub =
| position = [[Defender (association football)#Full-back|Left-back]]
| height = 5 ft 10 in<ref>{{cite book |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 |editor-first=Peter |editor-last=Dunk |publisher=Queen Anne Press |location=London |date=1987 |page=194 |isbn=978-0-356-14354-5}}</ref>
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1973–1975
| clubs1 = [[Wrexham A.F.C.|Wrexham]]
| caps1 = 98
| goals1 = 2
| years2 = 1975–1978
| clubs2 = [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]]
| caps2 = 72
| goals2 = 3
| years3 = 1978–1982
| clubs3 = [[Wrexham A.F.C.|Wrexham]]
| caps3 = 146
| goals3 = 6
| years4 = 1982–1985
| clubs4 = [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]]
| caps4 = 78
| goals4 = 2
| years5 = 1985–1987
| clubs5 = [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]]
| caps5 = 68
| goals5 = 3
| years6 = 1987–1992
| clubs6 = [[Wrexham A.F.C.|Wrexham]]
| caps6 = 132
| goals6 = 11
| totalcaps = 594
| totalgoals = 27
| nationalyears1 =
| nationalteam1 = [[Wales national under-21 football team|Wales U23]]
| nationalcaps1 = 4
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 1975–1986
| nationalteam2 = [[Wales national football team|Wales]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/wal-recintlp.html |title=Wales – Record International Players |first=Luis Fernando |last=Passo Alpuin |publisher=[[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation]] |date=20 February 2009 |access-date=10 March 2009}}</ref>
| nationalcaps2 = 72
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| manageryears1 = 2001
| managerclubs1 = [[Wrexham A.F.C.|Wrexham]] (caretaker)
}}

'''Joseph Patrick Jones''' (4 March 1955 – 22 July 2025) was a Welsh [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[Defender (association football)#Full-back|full-back]].

Jones most notably played for [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]], with whom he won two [[UEFA Champions League|European Cups]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-21 |title=Every Welsh Player To Win The Champions League {{!}} Football Stories |work=Football Stories |url=http://footballstories.co.uk/every-welsh-player-to-win-the-champions-league/ |access-date=2023-08-21 |language=en-US}}</ref> He is also known for his long association with [[Wrexham A.F.C.|Wrexham]], playing for the club in three separate stints, and was involved in the coaching set-up on-and-off from the early 1990s, including a brief spell as caretaker manager in 2001.<ref name="wafc">{{cite web
|last = Henrys
|first = Colin
|date = 11 September 2021
|title = Club News {{!}} Club legend Joey Jones appointed youth team ambassador
|url = https://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/news/2021/september/club-news--club-legend-joey-jones-appointed-youth-team-ambassador/
|website = wrexhamafc.co.uk
|publisher = Wrexham A.F.C.
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240531223851/https://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/news/2021/september/club-news--club-legend-joey-jones-appointed-youth-team-ambassador/
|archive-date = 31 May 2024
|access-date = 14 July 2025
}}</ref> Internationally, he represented [[Wales national football team|Wales]] on 72 occasions from 1975 to 1986.

==Club career==

===Wrexham===
Jones was born in [[Llandudno]] on 4 March 1955,<ref name=fl>{{NeilBrownPlayers|player/joeyjones}}</ref> and joined [[Wrexham A.F.C.|Wrexham]] in 1971. He made his debut at the age of 17 in a [[Welsh Cup]] tie against local rivals [[Chester City F.C.|Chester City]]; Wrexham lost 1–0. He did, however, win the Welsh Cup with the club in 1975, when they beat [[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]] in the final. Jones established himself as a right-back and helped Wrexham to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in 1974, the first time the club had reached that stage.<ref name=barmy/>

===Liverpool===
Jones left Wrexham to join his boyhood heroes, [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] (he had a [[Liverbird]] [[tattoo]], which he later had removed for medical reasons, on his forearm),{{Citation needed|date=November 2007}} when [[Bob Paisley]] paid [[£]]110,000 for his services in July 1975.<ref name=lfchistory>{{cite web|title=Player profile: Joey Jones|url=http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/338|publisher=LFC History|access-date=20 May 2011}}</ref> He made his debut on 16 August in a 2–0 league defeat to [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] at [[Loftus Road]].<ref name=shliv>{{cite web|title=Joey Jones: Liverpool FC 1975–1978|url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=37094|work=Football Heroes|publisher=Sporting Heroes|access-date=20 May 2011}}</ref> He missed out on a league championship medal in [[1975–76 Football League|1975–76]], as he did not play enough matches to qualify.<ref name=lfcprofile>{{cite web|title=Joey Jones: Profile|url=https://members.liverpoolfc.com/history/past-players/joey-jones|publisher=Liverpool F.C.|access-date=20 May 2011}}</ref>

In 1977, Jones was part of the treble-chasing Liverpool team which won the [[Football League First Division|League championship]] and [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]] and reached the [[FA Cup]] Final.<ref name=lfcprofile/> Jones scored his first goal for the club on 9 November 1976 in the 5–1 league win against [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] at [[Anfield]].<ref name=shliv/> The treble, unprecedented in English football, was not forthcoming. Liverpool lost 2–1 in the [[1977 FA Cup final|FA Cup final]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]] to [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]], though Jones supplied the accurate long pass for [[Jimmy Case]] to score Liverpool's goal.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}} However, Jones became the first Welshman to receive a European Cup winners medal when Liverpool won their first European Cup in [[Rome]] four days later, defeating [[Borussia Mönchengladbach]] 3–1.<ref name=shliv/> A memorable [[banner]] was unfurled by Liverpool supporters at the European Cup final in Rome which said ''"Joey Ate The Frogs Legs, Made The Swiss Roll, Now He's Munching Gladbach"''.<ref name=lfcprofile/>

Jones was in and out of the side the following year, with the renaissance of [[Tommy Smith (footballer, born 1945)|Tommy Smith]] and the emergence of young Scottish defender [[Alan Hansen]] severely reducing his first team opportunities. He left in the summer of 1978 after exactly 100 appearances, in which he scored 3 goals.<ref name=lfcprofile/>

===Return to Wrexham===
Jones returned to Wrexham<ref name=lfcprofile/> in 1978 for £210,000, a record that stood as Wrexham's record signing, until the £300,000 signing of [[Ollie Palmer]] in January 2022.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Wrexham sign Palmer from AFC Wimbledon|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60116733|access-date=2022-01-25}}</ref>

===Chelsea===
In 1982, Jones joined [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] for £34,000, having been signed by [[John Neal (footballer, born 1932)|John Neal]]. Jones was sent off on his debut against [[Carlisle United F.C.|Carlisle United]] at [[Brunton Park]].<ref name="cfc">{{cite web |title=Joey Jones 1955–2025 |website=Chelsea Football Club |date=22 July 2025 |url=https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/joey-jones-1955-2025 |access-date=22 July 2025}}</ref> However, Jones's committed attitude and pre-match fist-clenching ritual eventually made him a cult hero among the fans. He also proved instrumental in Chelsea's successful battle to avoid relegation to the [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]].<ref name=cfc/> He was a part of the side which won promotion as [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] champions on goal difference in [[1983-84 in English football|1983–84]].<ref name=cfc/> He remained with the club in the top flight for one more season, before surprisingly being sold to [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]] for £35,000 in August 1985. He finished his Chelsea career with 78 league appearances and 2 goals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=37095|title=Joey Jones: Chelsea FC|work=Football-heroes|publisher=Sporting Heroes Collection|access-date=25 December 2011}}</ref>

===Later career===
He joined Huddersfield in the summer of 1985 from Chelsea, and was named Town's player of the year in his first season.<ref name="obit">{{cite web |title=Joey Jones obituary: Ex-Wales and Liverpool defender dies aged 70 |website=BBC Sport |date=22 July 2025 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c977x1nj3geo |access-date=22 July 2025}}</ref> After two seasons he left to re-join Wrexham,<ref name=barmy>{{cite web|title=The Legends: Joey Jones|url=http://www.thisisthebarmyarmy.co.uk/htafc_legends_joeyjones.htm|publisher=thisisthebarmyarmy.co.uk|access-date=20 May 2011}}</ref> where he retired at the end of the 1991–92 season.

==International career==
Joey made his [[Wales national football team|Wales]] debut in November 1975 against [[Austria national football team|Austria]]. He went on to win 72 caps, scoring one goal,<ref name=fl/> his last action coming in a friendly away to [[Canada men's national soccer team|Canada]] in May 1986.
At the time of his death, Jones was 15th alongside [[Mark Hughes]] on the list of most capped players for Wales.<ref>{{cite web |title=Joey Jones: Ex-Wales, Liverpool and Wrexham defender dies aged 70 |website=BBC Sport |date=22 July 2025 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c77vpp8x6m5o |access-date=22 July 2025}}</ref>

==Retirement and death==
Jones underwent [[cardiac surgery]] in 2002<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/wrexham/2005809.stm|title=Joey recovering after heart op|publisher=BBC Sport|date=22 May 2002|access-date=24 May 2024}}</ref> and later scaled down his commitments with Wrexham, where he worked as the Under 18's and Reserve team coach until his retirement in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40517050|title=Joey Jones steps down from full-time Wrexham coaching role|publisher=BBC Sport|date=6 July 2017|access-date=24 May 2024}}</ref> He returned to the club in the position of youth team ambassador in 2021.<ref name="wafc"/> In 2001, he had a brief spell as caretaker manager between the departure of [[Brian Flynn (footballer)|Brian Flynn]] and arrival of [[Denis Smith (footballer, born 1947)|Denis Smith]].<ref name="wafc"/>

In 2005, Jones completed his autobiography entitled ''Oh Joey, Joey!'' about his life in football. This was a book of the week on [[Sky Sports News]] in February 2006.

Also in 2005, Jones was named as Wrexham's ultimate Cult Hero on [[BBC]]'s ''[[Football Focus]]''. Jones was much respected by Liverpool supporters and he finished in 63rd place in the 2006 poll of all-time favourite Liverpool players (''[[List of Liverpool F.C. players#100 players who shook the Kop|100 Players who shook the Kop]]''). 110,000 fans worldwide had taken part in the vote.

Jones died on 22 July 2025, at the age of 70.<ref>{{cite web |title=Liverpool legend who became first Welsh European Cup winner dies aged 70 |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/breaking-liverpool-joey-jones-wrexham-35594719.amp |newspaper=The Mirror |date=22 July 2025 |access-date=22 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Joey Jones obituary: wholehearted defender for Liverpool and Wales |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/obituaries/article/joey-jones-obituary-wholehearted-liverpool-defender-j76tkqz6g |access-date=22 July 2025 |newspaper=The Times |date=22 July 2025}}</ref>

==Honours==
'''Wrexham'''
*[[Welsh Cup]]: [[1974–75 Welsh Cup|1974–75]]{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}

'''Liverpool'''
*[[Football League First Division]]: [[1975–76 Football League|1975–76]], [[1976–77 Football League First Division|1976–77]]<ref name=lfchistory/>
*[[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]]: [[1976–77 European Cup|1976–77]], [[1977–78 European Cup|1977–78]]<ref name=lfchistory/>
*[[UEFA Cup]]: [[1975–76 UEFA Cup|1975–76]]<ref name=lfchistory/>
*[[UEFA Super Cup|European Super Cup]]: [[1977 European Super Cup|1977]]<ref name=lfchistory/>
*[[FA Cup]] runner-up: [[1976–77 FA Cup|1976–77]]<ref>{{cite book |first1=Leslie |first2=Jack |last1=Vernon |last2=Rollin |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78 |year=1977 |publisher=Brickfield Publications Ltd |location=London |isbn=0354-09018-6 |page=491}}</ref>

'''Chelsea'''
*[[Football League Second Division]]: [[1983–84 Football League Second Division|1983–84]]<ref name=cfc/>

'''Individual'''
*[[Chelsea Player of the Year]]: [[1982–83 Chelsea F.C. season|1982–83]]<ref name=cfc/>
*[[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.#Player of the Year (Hargreaves Memorial Trophy)|Huddersfield Town Player of the Year]]: [[1985–86 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season|1985–86]]<ref name=obit/>
*[[PFA Team of the Year]]: [[PFA Team of the Year (1980s)#Fourth Division 10|1988–89 Fourth Division]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lynch |first1=Tony |title=The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes |publisher=Hutchinson |date=1995 |isbn=0-09-179135-9|page=147}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.liverpoolfc.com/info/joey-jones Official Liverpool FC website profile]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180404073604/http://world.wrexhamafc.co.uk/page/HallofFame/0,,10311~73167,00.html Hall of fame at http://world.wrexhamafc.co.uk]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090527235557/http://www.happyfacescharity.co.uk/happyfaces/patrons.asp Happy Faces Children's Charity Patron]. Archived from [http://www.happyfacescharity.co.uk/happyfaces/patrons.asp the original] on 27 May 2009
* {{UEFA player}}

{{Navboxes
|bg=gold
|fg=navy
|title= Awards
|list1=
{{1983–84 Football League Second Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{1988–89 Football League Fourth Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{Chelsea F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{Huddersfield Town F.C. Player of the Year}}
}}
{{Wrexham A.F.C. managers}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Joey}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:2025 deaths]]
[[Category:Welsh men's footballers]]
[[Category:Wales men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Wales men's under-23 international footballers]]
[[Category:Wrexham A.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Wrexham A.F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Welsh football managers]]
[[Category:Liverpool F.C. players]]
[[Category:Chelsea F.C. players]]
[[Category:Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Llandudno]]
[[Category:Footballers from Conwy County Borough]]
[[Category:Men's association football defenders]]
[[Category:UEFA Champions League–winning players]]
[[Category:UEFA Europa League–winning players]]
[[Category:Welsh autobiographers]]

wiki143 - User contributions [en]

Joey Jones