Paul Jones (footballer)

Football player infobox
playername = Paul Steven Jones


fullname = Paul Steven Jones
nickname = Jonah
height = height|ft=6|in=3
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1967|4|18|df=y
cityofbirth = Chirk, Wrexham
countryofbirth = Wales
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1986–1991
1991–1996
1996–1997
1997–2004
2004
2004–2006
2004–2005
2005
2006–2007
2007–
clubs = Kidderminster Harriers
Wolves
Stockport County
Southampton
→ Liverpool (loan)
Wolves
→ Watford (loan)
→ Millwall (loan)
Queens Park Rangers
Bognor Regis Town
caps(goals) =242 (0)
033 (0)
047 (0)
193 (0)
002 (0)
026 (0)
009 (0)
003 (0)
026 (0)
002 (0)
nationalyears = 1997–2006
nationalteam = Wales
nationalcaps(goals) = 050 (0)
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

Paul Steven Jones (born 18 April 1967) is a Welsh international footballer. A goalkeeper, Jones is currently playing for Bognor Regis Town, the town where he and his wife have set up a business.

Career history

Born in Chirk near Wrexham, Jones started his career at Kidderminster Harriers in 1986 and then moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers for a fee of £60,000 in 1991. He only managed to play 44 games before moving on to Stockport County in 1996 where he was ever present in the 1996-97 season.

When Stockport County manager Dave Jones joined Southampton as manager, he signed Jones. He won Southampton player of the season in 1998 and earned a call up to Wales and become Wales' number 1 keeper. He played for Southampton in the 2003 FA Cup final against Arsenal (which was lost 1-0) coming on as substitute for the injured Antti Niemi. He was the first ever goalkeeper to make a substitute appearance in an FA Cup final. He made his international debut against Scotland on 27 May 1997, coming on as a half-time substitute for Andy Marriott. [ [http://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/games/19970527.html 27 May 1997 Scotland 0 Wales 1 (Match summary)] ] He earned a total of 50 caps.

He left Southampton in 2003 and briefly joined Liverpool before re-joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 2004.

He was loaned out to Watford in December 2004. In January 2006 Wolves cancelled Jones' contract by mutual consent. In February 2006, he joined Queens Park Rangers for the rest of the 2005-06 season. Due to his success at the club he was given a one-year extension to his contract that would last up until May 2007. When this contract expired Jones was released by the London club and later signed for non-league Bognor Regis.

Paul has an older brother, Mark Jones, who also played as a part-time goalkeeper in addition to his full-time role as a farmer. Although he never played in the Football League he had a spell with Hereford United between 1998 and 2000, most notably playing against Leicester City in the FA Cup Third Round. He later played in the Welsh Premier League with Newtown.

International Landmark

Jones won his 50th Welsh cap against Slovakia on 7 October 2006 but had a match to forget. Wales were beaten 5-1, their worst home result for 98 years and he was beaten from long range on three occasions. [cite news | url=http://www.footballersareidiots.co.uk/2006/10/07/jones-in-nightmare-landmark/ | title=Jones in Nightmare Landmark | accessdate=2006-10-11] He marked the occasion with 50 shaved in his hair.

Honours

;Southampton
*FA Cup runner up - 2003

;Kidderminster Harriers
*FA Trophy Winner - 1987

;Stockport County
*Division 2 runner up (promotion to Division 1) - 1996–97

Wales National Team Goalkeeping Coach

After recently being released by QPR, Jones was offered a rolling contract as the Welsh National Team's Goalkeeping Coach role. Manager John Toshack was quick to offer this to Jones due to his commitment to the squad during Toshack's reign as Head Coach.

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=3993 |name=Paul Jones
* [http://www.harriers-online.co.uk/squad/jones.shtml Harriers Online profile]