Joey Jones is a Wrexham FC legend and will have a place in every Wrexham fan's heart.
Born in Bangor and raised in Llandudno Joey played for the same Llandudno Swifts side as a certain Neville Southall. In 1971 Joey first joined the staff at the Racecourse and made his first team debut at the age of 17 in a Welsh Cup match against local rivals Chester City - a match which Wrexham lost 1-0. Joey made his football league debut the following Saturday in a 1-1 draw at Rotherham.
Having firmly established himself as a first team regular, Joey was part of the Wrexham side which reached the FA Cup quarter finals for the first time in the club's history in the 1973/74 season beating second division sides Crystal Palace and Middlesborough and first division Southampton before going out to Burnley also of the first division.
In 1975 Joey won the Welsh Cup when Wrexham beat Cardiff City in the final, but as his team-mates headed off to Europe and Djurgardens in the Cup Winners Cup, Joey was on his way to Anfield for a club record transfer fee of £110,000.
In his first season at Anfield Joey helped the reserve side to the Central League title before establishing himself as a first team regular, missing just three league games in the 1977/78 season as Liverpool won the League Championship and the European Cup. Joey became the first Welsh player to win a European Cup Winners' medal as Liverpool defeated Borussia Monchengladbach in Rome. It was at the European Cup Final that the travelling fans from the famous Kop unfurled their famous banner 'Joey has eaten frogs legs, made the Swiss roll and now hes going to Munch on Gladbach'.
Whilst at Liverpool Joey won the first of his 72 Welsh caps, a record finally surpassed by Peter Nicholas in 1991, making his debut in a 1-0 victory over Austria in the European Championship qualifiers at the Racecourse.
In 1978 Joey rejoined Wrexham for a fee of £210,000 which is still a record fee paid by the club. Following Wrexham's relegation to the third division, Joey joined up with his former manager John Neal and his best friend Mickey Thomas at Chelsea, securing the second division championship in 1984.
Following a two season sojourn at Huddersfield Town Joey returned to the Racecourse initially as a player, but in 1989 was appointed player/coach by new manager Brian Flynn. Following his retirement as a player in 1992, Joey was a valued member of the coaching staff at Wrexham. After having heart surgery in the summer of 2002, Joey has stepped down from his coaching role and has taken an ambassadorial role within the club.
Gary from Bangor contributed this portrait of Joey Jones.
Wrexham FC legend & former Liverpool & Wales player.
