Rob Jones (footballer born 1971)

Football player infobox
playername = Rob Jones


fullname = Robert Marc Jones
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1971|11|5
cityofbirth = Wrexham
countryofbirth = Wales
height =
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1987–1991
1991–1999
1999
clubs = Crewe Alexandra
Liverpool
West Ham United
caps(goals) = 075 (2)
215 (0)
000 (0)
nationalyears = 1992–1995
1993
nationalteam = England
England U21
nationalcaps(goals) = 008 (0)
002 (0)
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

Robert Marc Jones (born November 5, 1971 in Wrexham, Wales) is a Welsh born former England international footballer who made his name whilst he was with Liverpool.

Playing career

Jones began his career with Crewe Alexandra, signing professional forms at the age of 17 on the 20th December 1988 when Crewe were in Barclays Division 4.

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. Jones' performance was so good that it prompted Souness to act straight away, he put in an offer of £300,000 which was accepted, so on the 4th October 1991, a month before his 20th birthday, he became a Liverpool player.

Although Jones had not been through the Liverpool YTS ranks like his new young and upcoming team mates Steve McManaman and Mike Marsh, nor become a popular player despite coming from another club (as with the case like Jamie Redknapp), because Jones had grown up a Liverpool supporter mainly because his grandfather, Bill Jones had played for the Reds between 1938 and 1954 and was part of the squad that won the first post-war championship in 1947, Jones was given a warm welcome at the elite Liverpool setup at the time, for his sheer passion.

Jones' debut for the Reds came on the 6th October '91 just 48 hours after he had signed on at Anfield. In an intense game against rivals Man United at Old Trafford with the exciting young talent Ryan Giggs on the left flank in outstanding form. Jones impressed in the way he handled Giggs' threat in this game, earning plaudits and enhancing his reputation. 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.

At Liverpool, he was nicknamed Trigger, after the dim-witted "Only Fools and Horses" character and over the next four seasons 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. During this period he established himself as one of the best full-backs in the country, alongside United's Gary Neville with whom he was in direct competition with for the full-back berth at international level.

When Liverpool signed midfielder Jason McAteer, who arrived in 1995, Roy Evans converted McAteer to full-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. Liverpool produced some great football during this time, but still failed to win the league. 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 17th July 1999, and featured for them in a single Intertoto Cup game, but it was clear that the knee injury had severely affected him and he retired on the 28th 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 19th February 1992. Injury forced Jones to miss the 1992 European Championships when many thought he would be the first choice right-back. Jones went on to win eight international caps.

Since his retirement he has left football, and runs a children's nursery in Warrington, Cheshire. In 2006 he was voted No.60 in the poll 100 Players Who Shook The Kop, a poll conducted by the [http://www.liverpoolfc.tv official Liverpool Football Club web site,] in which 110,000 Liverpool fans voted for their top 10 favourite Liverpool players of all time.

Rob was on Sky Sports "Where are they now" series in May 2008 talking about his career and his business. He now has five nurserys.

Career honours

Crewe Alexandra

Third Place (Promotion)
* 1988-1989 Football League Fourth Division (Level 4)

Liverpool

Winner
* 1991-92 FA Cup
* 1994-95 League Cup

Runner Up
* 1995-96 FA Cup

External links

* [http://www.thisisanfield.com/columnists/2007/09/rob-jones-the-best-we-never-had/ Thisisanfield.com Forgotten Heros]
* [http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/team/past_players/players/jones2/ Official past players at Liverpoolfc.tv]
* [http://www.lfchistory.net/player_profile.asp?player_id=340 Profile] at [http://www.lfchistory.net LFCHistory.net]
* [http://sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/searchresults.asp?ButtonLe
]
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