Jones Billy Image 2 Swindon Town 1907

Description

Brighton born right half Billy Jones began his football career with Heaton Rovers in 1893 before joining Wellington Athletic in 1894. Initially a forward, he joined Second Division Loughborough in February 1896, making his Football League debut against Newcastle United in March 1896 and was top scorer in 1896-97 with 13 goals.

Jones was the first player signed by new manager Sam Hollis for Southern League Bristol City in July 1897. Jones made 8 appearances scoring twice in 1897-98 when Bristol City finished runners up, he also made 9 appearances and scored 6 goals in the Western League Championship winning side. Jones scored 4 goals in the 14-1 win v Eastleigh on 26th January 1898.

Jones was the regular right half in 1898-99 making 23 appearances when City again finished as runners up in the Southern League, and missed only one match in 1899-1900, he began as right half but moved to centre forward when Alex Caie was transferred to Millwall, with Jones making 31 appearances and scoring 15 goals, including 4 goals in the 5-1 win against Sheppey United on 3rd March 1900. The following season, back at right half, Bristol City were again runners up in the Southern League with Jones making 28 appearances, scoring once. In March 1901 he was called up for England and won his sole England cap in a 3-0 win over Ireland at The Dell, Southampton.

When Bristol City made their Football League debut in the Second Division on 7th September 1901 Jones played right half in a 2-0 win at Blackpool. Jones was ever present with 35 appearances in 1901-02 and rarely missed a game between then and 1904-05. His final season was when Bristol City won the Second Division Championship in 1905-06 but due to injury Jones made 19 appearances albeit he played in all of the record sequence of 14 successive wins between September and December 1905.

After 29 goals in 253 appearances for The Babes, Jones moved back to the Southern League with Tottenham Hotspur in May 1906 spending a single season at White Hart Lane before moving to Swindon Town in May 1907, where he was club captain but only played 8 games before retirement.