LFCHistory.net

Joey Jones

Birthdate: 4 March 1955 Birthplace: Bangor, Wales Other clubs: Wrexham (1971-75), Wrexham (2 / 1978-82), Chelsea (1982-85), Huddersfield Town (1985-87), Wrexham (3 / 1987-92) Bought from: Wrexham Signed for LFC: £110,000, 14.07.1975 International debut: 19.11.1975 vs. Austria International caps: 72/1 (18/0 at LFC) - 20.05.1986

Liverpool debut: 16.08.1975 Last appearance: 07.01.1978 Debut goal: 09.11.1976 Last goal: 19.02.1977 Contract expiry: 18.10.1978 Win ratio: 54% W:54 D:26 L:20 Honours: League Championship 1976/77; European Cup 1977, 1978; UEFA Cup 1976 LFC league games/goals: 72 / 3 Total LFC games/goals: 100 / 3

Player profile

An enthusiastic and tough-tackling left-back whose uncompromising style quickly endeared him to the Liverpool crowd. The charismatic Welshman whose mother was from Dingle in Liverpool became a 'cult figure' on the Kop even though he only actually played for the club during three different seasons. Wrexham manager John Neal was furious when Jones was sold to Liverpool: "The directors went over my head. Now I’ll have to consider if I have any future with the club.” The former self-confessed youth delinquent was 20 years old when Bob Paisley signed him in the summer of 1975 and still a bit "raw". Even though Jones started the season as first-choice he only appeared in 13 first division matches in total that campaign as the gulf in class between the Third Division he left behind and the First Division became too apparent in his performance. The left-back role was also covered by Phil Neal and Alec Lindsay in 1975/76 but a year later Jones had established himself in the first team and only missed three of the 42 League fixtures. His exploits on the road to victory in the European Cup in 1977 were immortalised in a banner that read: "JOEY ATE THE FROGS LEGS, MADE THE SWISS ROLL, NOW HES MUNCHING GLADBACH". Only Manchester United's victory in the FA Cup final prevented it from being possibly the greatest-ever season in the club's history. However, the European victory seemed to be the beginning of the end for Jones who lost his place in the team in January the following season to the ageing but still dependable Tommy Smith.

Jones admits to being like a madman on the pitch but he never shirked a challenge. A clenched fist towards the Kop when Jones ran onto the field became his trademark and got the crowd going, but he got in serious trouble at other clubs when displaying the same passion. He was accused of "inciting riots" and was arrested twice when playing for Chelsea; at Derby County and at Newcastle.

Jones eventually rejoined Wrexham and later had spells at Chelsea and Huddersfield. He finally returned to his first club for a second time before the 1987/88 season and when his playing career ended, he has continued to work at the Racecourse Ground as a coach with the same enthusiasm that he had always displayed as a player. Jones was 'capped' over 70 times by his country and he is still fondly remembered by Liverpool fans as one of the most colourful characters ever to pull on the famous red shirt. "To be honest, I couldn't believe it when Liverpool came in for me in 1975. I had three great years and while I was never one of the household names like Keegan, Clemence, Hughes or Smith, I always had a good rapport with the fans. I think they knew that deep down, I was just one of them."

Related Articles

Joey Jones - Shakes his fist

LFChistory.net had a very entertaining talk with the one and only Joey Jones, who was a cult hero at Liverpool for three years.More

Chelsea hand out the punishment

Daily Mail report on Chelsea – Liverpool 4-2 on 9 January 1978.More

Goodbye Joey!

An article from the Liverpool Echo on 19 October 1978.More

Related Quotes

"I've always been a Liverpool fan and cheered them on from the Kop for years. I thought that was the closest I'd get to playing at Anfield - until one year Wrexham played Liverpool in the Youth Cup.

We drew at our place and I thought 'fantastic, the replay will be at Anfield'. Instead, the game was switched back to Wrexham because Liverpool had a league game... and we ended up getting beaten!

To be honest, I couldn't believe it when Liverpool came in for me in 1975. Talk about a dream come true!

I had three great years and while I was never one of the household names like Keegan, Clemence, Hughes or Smith, I always had a good rapport with the fans. I think they knew that deep down, I was just one of them."

Joey Jones

"I asked Phil Neal and Ray Clemence if they got telegrams from the boss when they were on international duty. Phil said they did, with the message ‘Good luck’. I told them the boss sent them to me when I was away with Wales. The message he put on was, ‘Keep out of trouble’."

Joey Jones

"It was during the close season and I'd gone fishing with a couple of mates from Llandudno. We were making our way back to shore after catching a couple of fish when I saw my dad standing on the beach waving his arms. I thought something was wrong at home but when he told me Wrexham had phoned to say Liverpool wanted to sign me I almost fell back into the sea."

Joey Jones on when he discovered Liverpool wanted to buy him

"Joey just loves to be happy and gets enthusiastic about the slightest thing. He’s just the sort of player every team need, because he’ll make you forget those tensions with one of his terrible jokes. He makes a joke about anything and everything."

Ray Clemence on Joey Jones in 1977

"I love Joey Jones. Always remember him dancing in a middle of a game when we were singing his name."

Kopites remember Joey Jones

The fist. The forearm. The tattoo. The tackles. The banner. They add up to greatness. A limited left back whose challenges often had a lunatic edge, Jones would race out the tunnel before the match and sprint towards the Kop waving a clenched fist to signal his determination. The entire Kop would return the salute. And then there is the banner. 'Joey ate the frog's legs, made the Swiss roll and now he's munchin Gladbach.'

Tony Evans from Times online on Joey Jones

Scrapbook

• Focus on Joey Jones
• How Joey set up a Melwood record - 1984
• Joey Jones on the cover of Shoot! 23 July 1977
• Joey Jones on the cover of Shoot! 28 January 1978
• Joey Jones shows it's still a game of fun - 4 December 1976
• Joey remembers his debut
• Jones goal sinks Bristol! - 27 November 1976
• Jumping Joey says it all - Rome 77
• Let me at 'em! - May 1977
• LFC Official Matchday Magazine interview 2000/01
• Reds put a £1/4 million tag on Jones
• Reserves are a real champion bunch - 5 May 1976
• Spotlight on Joey Jones in the Liverpool match programme in the 1976/77 season
• The game I remember - 15 December 1976
• Top of the bill!