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Welsh left-back Joey Jones joined Liverpool from Wrexham for £110, 000
in July 1975 and made his debut in a 2-0 League defeat at Queens Park
Rangers on the opening day of the new season. Jones started seven games
early in the campaign before losing his place to the more polished Alec
Lindsay but regained it for the League match with Derby at Anfield on
October 25, which ended in a 1-1 draw. After starting the next four
League games, he was replaced by veteran hardman Tommy Smith and only
featured in two more League games that term as Liverpool pipped QPR to
the title by a single point. Joey, at just 21 years of age, had his
first medal to his name but there were nagging doubts about his ability
to cut it at the very top level of the game. The 1976-77 campaign,
however, was to answer any doubters in memorable fashion. He established
himself at left-back for both club and country (he had made his
international debut for Wales against Austria in November 1975) and
started 59 games in all competitions for the Reds, including 39 of the
their 42 League games and all 19 cup ties. He scored his first goal for
the club, in a 5-1 home League win over Leicester on Nov 9, 1976, and he
followed this up with the winner against Bristol City on November 27 as
Liverpool completed a 2-1 League win at Anfield. His third and final
strike that term came in a 3-1 League win at home to Derby County.
Goals
aside, by early 1977 Joey had made the left-back position his own and
his excellent form had helped put the club on course for a historic
League-FA Cup-European Cup treble. An unbeaten run of 11 League games
from mid-March saw Liverpool win back-to-back titles and Joey pick up a
second championship medal, but hopes of the treble were shattered by a
2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup Final at Wembley.
Liverpool had only four days to recover before the European Cup Final in
Rome against Borussia Moenchengladbach, but they produced a superb
performance on the night to beat the West German champions 3-1 and
collect Europe's most prestigious club trophy for the first time in the
club's history. A cult hero with the Kop for his total commitment and
never-say-die attitude, it was here in the Eternal City that Jones was
immortalised in Anfield legend by a witty fans' banner recalling the
wins over St Etienne and FC Zurich en route to the final: "Joey Ate The
Frogs Legs, Made The Swiss Roll, Now He's Munching Gladbach." After the
game, Joey was presented with the banner to add to his winner's medal.
After the drama and glory of that campaign, season 1977-78 was to prove a
huge anti-climax for the Welshman.
Jones started 20 of Liverpool's
first 24 League games but was dropped after a 4-2 defeat at Chelsea in
an FA Cup 3rd Round tie on January 7, 1978, and replaced by the
evergreen Tommy Smith. Even after Smith suffered a career-ending injury
in April 1978, Jones was kept out of the side by an inexperienced young
Scotsman, Alan Hansen. The writing was on the wall for Joey's Anfield
career and his exit from the club was hastened by the signing of
specialist left-back Alan Kennedy that summer. Kennedy made an
impressive start to the 1978-79 campaign and Jones was allowed to return
to Wrexham for a meagre £20, 000 in September 1978. He made a total of
100 appearances for Liverpool, scoring three goals, and this
enthusiastic, never-say-die competitor will be forever remembered in
Anfield folklore for his exploits during that unforgettable 1976-77
season. (Martin Greensill)
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