The left-back, who earned 72 caps for his nation, played three times for Wrexham as well as for Liverpool, Chelsea and Huddersfield Town. He had a sparkling three-year stint with Liverpool – claiming a First Division crown, two European Cups, a UEFA Cup and a European Super Cup.
The Reds’ triumph over Borussia Monchengladbach in Rome in 1977 made him the first Welshman to hold the European Cup. It inspired fans to come up with a 24ft banner saying ‘Joey ate the frog’s legs, made the Swiss roll, now he’s munching Gladbach’.
Jones won the Welsh Cup during his first stint with Wrexham and assisted Chelsea in winning the Second Division title of 1983-84. He is joint-15th with Mark Hughes in the rankings for most capped male Welsh players.
The left-back from Llandudno was Wrexham’s record signing in his first return to the club in 1978 and went on to break the record until Ollie Palmer joined the Stok Cae Ras in 2022.
His old side, Wrexham, declared that they were “devastated” by his passing and laid plans to honour Jones with a statue in the public square outside the new Stok Cae Ras’ Kop Stand.
Paying respects on X, his lifelong buddy and old Wales, Wrexham and Chelsea team-mate Mickey Thomas tweeted on X: “Lost my best mate and soulmate this morning, Sir Joey, never will our memories fade. My heart is breaking today.”
Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge commented: “What a nice man and an inspirational full back who gave his heart and soul in a red shirt and for all the clubs he played for. I’m a lucky man to have met him many times.”
Football Association of Wales (FAW) chief executive Noel Mooney added: “Everyone in Welsh football was sad to hear of the death of Joey Jones – @Wrexham_AFC @Cymru legend. Much loved. Cwsg mewn hedd (rest in peace), Joey.”
A formal FAW statement was: “The thoughts of all at the FAW are with the family and friends of @Cymru legend Joey Jones following today’s very sad news. Old Wrexham team-mate of Jones, Jones’ manager Dixie McNeil, added: “It’s sad, he was a super lad and a super player.
“He didn’t give you 70 per cent or 80 per cent; he gave you 110 per cent every match, and he was a team player on top of that. He was a fantastic professional footballer; you won’t improve him in that respect. He had everything you could want from a player.”
