Liverpool legend Joey Jones, who won two European Cups with the club in the 1970s, has died aged 70.
The Welsh hero was also a popular figure at boyhood club Wrexham, where he enjoyed three spells and was dubbed ‘Mr Wrexham’, as well as Chelsea and Huddersfield.
For his country he turned out 72 times between 1975 and 1982.
Fellow Liverpool legend John Aldridge wrote on X: ‘More sad news folks Joey Jones passed away last night.
‘What a lovely man and an inspirational full back who gave his heart and soul in a red shirt and for all the clubs he played for! Our thoughts are with Joey’s family! I’m a lucky man to have met him many times YNWA RIP top man.’
Jamie Carragher also said: ‘RIP Joey Jones.’
Jones joined Wrexham as a teenager in 1971 and in his first spell he was part of the side who won the Welsh Cup in 1975.
In 1975 he left for Liverpool and he enjoyed a glorious three-year stint there, lifting their first European Cup in 1977 and adding another a year later.
He also won the 1976-77 First Division with the Reds as well as the UEFA Cup and European Super Cup.
Liverpool beat Borussia Monchengladbach 3-1 at the 1977 European Cup final in Rome, having beaten Saint-Etienne in the quarter-finals and Zurich in the semis.
And so, at the final, fans unveiled what is now remembered as an iconic banner: ‘Joey Ate The Frogs Legs, Made The Swiss Roll, Now He’s Munching Gladbach.’
Such was his fondness for Wrexham that he had three stints with them throughout his career.
After his tropy-laden spell at Anfield, he returned to Wrexham as their record signing for £200,000 in 1978 and spent another four years with them before going to Chelsea.
In his first season he helped the Blues survive relegation from the Second Division, and in his second he was instrumental as they stormed to the title to reach the top flight.
After three years at Chelsea, he joined Huddersfield in 1985 and was their player of the season in his debut year.
After two seasons in Yorkshire, he returned to his spiritual home of Wrexham and took his total number of appearances for them to 479, as per Wrexham AFC Archive.
One football supporter wrote on X: ‘Woken up to the very sad news about Joey Jones. As an Everton fan living in Wrexham, you cannot under estimate the esteem this man was held in. A proper Wrexham legend. Fly high Joey and RIP.’
A Liverpool season ticket holder since the 1960s said: ‘Very sad news of the passing of Joey Jones. He may have only played 100 games for LFC but he was a real ‘cult hero’, loved by the fans. A player who gave his heart & soul for the red shirt. Condolences to his family….RIP Joey.’
A former Wrexham stadium announcer said: ‘The word devastated doesn’t even get close today. Joey Jones was the very foundation this club was built on. A true gentleman, who despite moving to clubs away never left Wrexham. True legend. My thoughts are with Janice & the family. RIP Joey.’
More to follow.
