Rob Jones (footballer born 1971)
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Marc Jones | ||
| Date of birth | 5 November 1971 | ||
| Place of birth | Wrexham, Wales | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1987–1991 | Crewe Alexandra | 75 | (2) |
| 1991–1999 | Liverpool | 185 | (0) |
| 1999 | West Ham United | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 260 | (2) | |
| National team | |||
| 1992–1995 | England | 8 | (0) |
| 1993 | England U21 | 2 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Robert Marc Jones (born 5 November 1971 in Wrexham, Wales) is a Welsh-born former England international footballer who made his name whilst he was with Liverpool.
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[edit] Playing career
Jones, who grew up in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, began his career with Crewe Alexandra, signing professional forms at the age of 17 on the 20 December 1988 when Crewe were in Division Four.
The right-back settled quickly, quietly going about his defensive duties until being spotted during the 1991–92 season, accidentally, by Liverpool manager Graeme Souness who was at Gresty Road looking at a different player. Souness put in an offer of £300,000 which was accepted, and on 4 October 1991, a month before his 20th birthday, he became a Liverpool player.
His debut for the Reds came on 6 October 1991, just 48 hours after he had signed on at Anfield. By the end of the season he had gained his first international cap and had helped the Reds to the final of the FA Cup at Wembley, a final that saw Liverpool beat Sunderland 2-0. However, he was ruled out of England's Euro 92 squad due to shin splints.[1]
Over the next four seasons he was a regular member of the Liverpool starting line-up and in the sides that beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1 in the 1995 Football League Cup final and lost 1-0 to Man United in the 1996 FA Cup final.
When Liverpool signed midfielder Jason McAteer, who arrived in 1995, Roy Evans converted McAteer to right-back and employed Jones on the left-side in a wingback role as Liverpool changed from their normal 4-4-2 to an attack-minded 5-3-2 formation.
After the 1996 FA Cup final, Jones was advised to take a six-month break from football due to back problems. He returned to action, but the next two seasons were plagued by injuries, and in February 1998 he played what was to be his last game for Liverpool. An injury in his left knee couldn't be fixed, despite three operations, and at the end of the 1998-99 season, in which he hadn't played a game, he was released on a free transfer. Jones had played 243 times for the Reds but never scored a goal.
He joined West Ham United, on non-contract terms, on the 17 July 1999, and featured for them in a single Intertoto Cup game and featured in his second and what would be his final professional career match for West Ham United which lasted 45 minutes as a result of re-aggravating his knee, but the knee injury had severely affected him and he retired on the 28 August 1999 aged just 27.
At international level Jones was eligible to play for Wales, as he was born in Wrexham, but it was Graham Taylor who selected him and gave him his international debut for England in the 2-0 win over France at Wembley on the 19 February 1992. Injury forced Jones to miss the 1992 European Championships choice right-back, but he went on to win eight international caps.
Since his retirement, Jones has left football and owns a children's nursery in Warrington which his wife runs.
[edit] Career honours
[edit] Crewe Alexandra
Third Place (Promotion)
- 1988-1989 Football League Fourth Division (Level 4)
[edit] Liverpool
Winner
- 1991-92 FA Cup
- 1994-95 League Cup
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Thisisanfield.com Forgotten Heros
- Official past players at Liverpoolfc.tv
- Profile at LFCHistory.net
- Rob Jones index at Sporting-heroes.net
- Rob Jones career stats at Soccerbase
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