Liverpool and Wrexham Legend Joey Jones Dies at 70, Leaving a Legacy Across British Football

• by Arlen Fitzpatrick
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Joey Jones: The Relentless Defender Who Became Football Folklore

Joey Jones, whose name is woven deeply into British football history, has died at the age of 70. Fans who lived through the 1970s and 80s remember him not just for his playing style, but for the way he became more than just a name on a team sheet—he morphed into a living symbol of loyalty, fight, and pure football passion.

Jones wasn’t some fleeting sensation. Born and bred in North Wales, his journey kicked off at Wrexham, his hometown club. He burst onto the scene as a teenager and quickly built a reputation as a no-nonsense defender. He wore his heart on his sleeve—something that never changed, no matter where his career took him. What really made Joey special was that rare sense of playing for the badge—fans saw themselves in him. He didn’t glide around the pitch; he lunged, he blocked, he tackled, and he made it look like every battle was personal.

His most celebrated move came in 1975, when Liverpool swooped in to bring him to Anfield. This wasn’t an era of pampered superstars. Liverpool was building a dynasty, but they still relied on men who brought steel as much as skill. Jones fit right in. He became a cult hero almost instantly, not just for his football but for his unwavering drive. He was never flashy, but he was never missing from the moment—especially not in Liverpool’s legendary 1977 European Cup campaign.

That season would go down as the start of Liverpool’s love affair with Europe, and Jones played a key role in getting the club across the finish line for their first European Cup triumph. The image that stuck with fans wasn’t a slick finish or a glorious cross—it was a giant banner unfurled by supporters in Rome: “Joey Ate The Frogs Legs, Made The Swiss Roll, Now He’s Munching Gladbach.” Only a certain kind of player could inspire something so cheeky and celebratory, and Jones embodied it to the core. He gave everything for the team, and the fans loved him for it.

Across England and Wales: Loyalty, Grit, and a Love for the Game

Jones wasn’t just a Liverpool hero. After his spell at Anfield, he played for Aston Villa and then Chelsea, where he helped the London side claw their way out of the lower divisions—from 1982 to 1985, he made 91 appearances as the club stormed to a Second Division title. At Chelsea, his reputation for hard tackles and boundless energy only grew. He was the steadying hand during a time when the club desperately needed it, and teammates leaned on his experience and doggedness.

Back in Wales, Joey Jones was more than just a good player—he was a national icon. Notching up 72 caps for the Welsh national team, he was often the heartbeat of those gritty underdog lineups that Wales produced in the late 70s and 80s. Opponents probably found little joy in facing him—he never backed down, never let a match slip away without a fight. For Wales, he was a leader, someone who seemed to represent the spirit of an entire country on the field.

Jones had an almost magnetic pull back to Wrexham, returning not once but twice in his career. In his final run, he even shifted gears into coaching, taking charge of the club’s academy and shaping young careers—passing on that same gritty passion he’d shown since breaking into the side as a teenager. Former teammates, managers, clubs, and supporters have lined up to talk about how he was the living, breathing soul of grassroots football and how he never lost that love for the game, no matter where he was or who he was coaching.

Since his death, tributes have poured in from Wrexham AFC, Liverpool, Chelsea, and the Football Association of Wales. Fans have shared stories that stretch far beyond just match highlights: the handshakes, the memories, the stories of a man who’d stop for a photo or a quick chat every time he spotted someone in a football shirt.

His presence on the pitch might now belong to the past, but his effect on football—from the terraces at Anfield and Stamford Bridge to the community fields of North Wales—lives on. Joey Jones was the rare footballer who made every badge he wore feel like home, earning a place in the hearts of fans everywhere.