Jones Jack Image 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1901

Description

Rhuddlan, Denbighshire born left winger Jack Jones began his career with Rhuddlan in 1882 and then joined Bootle in 1888. His first senior matches were FA Cup ties for Bootle, his first First Round (proper) match being against Sunderland Albion in January 1890. On moving to Stockton later in 1890, Jones turned professional and also played cricket for Stockton Cricket Club during the summer months. When Stockton resumed amateur status in 1893, Jones moved to Second Division Grimsby Town, for whom he made his Football League debut against Northwich Victoria in September 1893, remaining ever present for the remainder of the season.

In May 1894, Jones transferred to Sheffield United after 7 goals in 33 appearances for Grimsby, in part to play for the affiliated Sheffield United Cricket Club that summer. When the football season opened in September 1894, Jones made his debut for the club against West Bromwich Albion and scored on each of his first two outings. Despite a promising start Jones was felt to lack pace and spent much of his time playing in United’s reserves, filling in in various positions for the first team when needed. He played 8 matches as The Blades finished League Championship runners up to Aston Villa in 1896-97.

He made his international debut for Wales in a 2-2 draw with Ireland at The Solitude, Belfast in March 1895 and won a total 21 caps for his country over the next nine years, in those days a very high number of appearances.

After three seasons, Jones joined Southern League Tottenham Hotspur in May 1897 after 5 goals for The Blades in 35 appearances, but as Spurs were not members of the Football League they did not have to pay a transfer fee to United, much to the annoyance of the United directors. Playing principally in the outside left position for his new club, Jones became a mainstay of the first-team for seven seasons, becoming club captain and skippering them to both the Southern League Championship in 1900 and to the 1901 FA Cup Final where they ironically beat his former club, Sheffield United in a replay at Burnden Park, Bolton, after a draw in the first match at The Crystal Palace. He is still the only non Football League captain to lift the trophy.

He left Tottenham in 1904 after 8 goals in 163 Southern League and FA Cup appearances, and he then spent a season at Southern League club Watford in 1904-05 making 7 appearances for The Hornets before he joined non league Worcester City in 1905, his final club before his eventual retirement.