Bill Jones (footballer)
Encyclopedia
William Henry "Bill" Jones (13 May 1921 26 December 2010) was an English
international footballer who played for Liverpool F.C.
.
, Derbyshire
, Bill played for Hayfield St Matthews before Liverpool manager George Kay
took the 17-year-old to Anfield
in the September 1938.
The Second World War curtailed Jones' early career taking away six years from his playing days, although he did appear as a wartime guest for York
, Leeds and Reading
.
He, finally, made his debut, along with Len Carney
and Cyril Sidlow
, as a 25-year-old on the opening day of the 1946/47 season, the 31 August, at Bramall Lane
, it turned out to be a day to remember as the Reds beat their hosts, Sheffield United
1-0 through a goal by Carney.
Jones opened his goalscoring account with a brace at Anfield on the 7 September 1946 in one of Liverpool's more famous results, the 7-4 defeat of Chelsea
, the 49,995 crowd were treated to a feast of goals with the Reds goals coming from Billy Liddell
in the 3rd and 50th minutes, Jones in the 24th and 30th, Willie Fagan
44th and 87th and Jack Balmer
in the 47th minute.
By the end of the first post-war season Bill had helped Liverpool to their first Division one championship in 24 years, just pipping bitter rivals Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, who both finished on 56, by a single point. The title went right down to the last day of the season with Liverpool trailing Wolves by 1 point. As luck would have it, Liverpool would have to travel to Molineux
for a final day showdown. 50,765 packed into Molineux on the 31 May 1947 with the majority waiting in anticipation for a championship party especially as Wolves had already thumped the Reds 5-1 at Anfield, however, Liverpool had other plans and came away with a 2-1 victory with the goals coming from Balmer and Albert Stubbins
. Bill played a major role in the game and also appeared 26 times during the season scoring 6 goals. The following 7 seasons saw Bill become an integral member of the side, he was the Jamie Carragher
of his day being able to play in several different positions, and doing so well.
He was a member of he side that made Liverpool history when they appeared at Wembley
for very first time in the FA Cup
final on the 29 April 1950, unfortunately, Arsenal
spoilt the Merseyside
r's day by scoring 2 unreplied goals in front of the 100,000 crowd.
England manager Walter Winterbottom saw Jones' quality and selected him for the game against Portugal
at Kenilworth Road
, Luton
on the 14 May 1950, the English made it a day to remember for Jones winning an exciting game by 5 goals to 3, Jones made 1 other appearance for his country.
Liverpool's league form got gradually worse and they were eventually relegated at the end of the 1953/54 season. This season also proved to be Jones' last for the Reds after 277 appearances scoring 17 goals. His last ever game came on the 24 April 1954, at Bloomfield Road
, Liverpool had already been relegated so the 3-0 defeat to Blackpool
didn't make any difference to the league positions.
Jones went on to become player/manager at Ellesmere Port, he then returned to the club he loved as a scout during the 1960s and 70's where he discovered a lot of quality players.
He passed on his football genes to his grandson, Rob Jones, who followed in granddad Bill's footsteps by playing for both Liverpool and England.
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
international footballer who played for Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
.
Life and playing career
Born in Whaley BridgeWhaley Bridge
Whaley Bridge is a small town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England, situated on the River Goyt. Whaley Bridge is approximately south of Manchester, north of Buxton , east of Macclesfield and west of Sheffield, and had a population of 6,226 at the 2001 census. This...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, Bill played for Hayfield St Matthews before Liverpool manager George Kay
George Kay
George Kay was an English football player and manager of Luton Town, Southampton and Liverpool.The highlight of his playing career was when he captained West Ham United in the first FA Cup final to be played at Wembley, the so-called White Horse Final.He was manager of Liverpool for 15 years and...
took the 17-year-old to Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
in the September 1938.
The Second World War curtailed Jones' early career taking away six years from his playing days, although he did appear as a wartime guest for York
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
, Leeds and Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
.
He, finally, made his debut, along with Len Carney
Len Carney
Len Carney was an English professional footballer.-Career:Born in Liverpool, Carney played amateur football for Liverpool University, Northern Nomads, Marine and Collegiate Old Boys, before signing for Liverpool in 1939. After making 33 wartime appearances, Carney made his debut in the Football...
and Cyril Sidlow
Cyril Sidlow
Cyril Sidlow was a Welsh football goalkeeper. He played for several clubs, most notably for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool.- Life and playing career :...
, as a 25-year-old on the opening day of the 1946/47 season, the 31 August, at Bramall Lane
Bramall Lane
-Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket...
, it turned out to be a day to remember as the Reds beat their hosts, Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
1-0 through a goal by Carney.
Jones opened his goalscoring account with a brace at Anfield on the 7 September 1946 in one of Liverpool's more famous results, the 7-4 defeat of Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, the 49,995 crowd were treated to a feast of goals with the Reds goals coming from Billy Liddell
Billy Liddell
William Beveridge "Billy" Liddell was a Scottish footballer, who played his entire professional career with Liverpool. He signed with the club as a teenager in 1938 and retired in 1961, having scored 228 goals in 534 appearances...
in the 3rd and 50th minutes, Jones in the 24th and 30th, Willie Fagan
Willie Fagan
William 'Willie' Fagan was a footballer who played for Liverpool.-Football career:...
44th and 87th and Jack Balmer
Jack Balmer
Jack Balmer was a footballer who played Centre Forward, for Liverpool Football Club.-Life and playing career:...
in the 47th minute.
By the end of the first post-war season Bill had helped Liverpool to their first Division one championship in 24 years, just pipping bitter rivals Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, who both finished on 56, by a single point. The title went right down to the last day of the season with Liverpool trailing Wolves by 1 point. As luck would have it, Liverpool would have to travel to Molineux
Molineux stadium
Molineux Stadium is a Premier League football stadium situated in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, England. It has been the home ground of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club since 1889, and has a long and illustrious history as the first 'new build' stadium in Football League history, one of the...
for a final day showdown. 50,765 packed into Molineux on the 31 May 1947 with the majority waiting in anticipation for a championship party especially as Wolves had already thumped the Reds 5-1 at Anfield, however, Liverpool had other plans and came away with a 2-1 victory with the goals coming from Balmer and Albert Stubbins
Albert Stubbins
Albert Stubbins was an English footballer. He played in the position of centre forward, although his career was limited by the onset of World War II.-Life and playing career:...
. Bill played a major role in the game and also appeared 26 times during the season scoring 6 goals. The following 7 seasons saw Bill become an integral member of the side, he was the Jamie Carragher
Jamie Carragher
James Lee Duncan "Jamie" Carragher is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League side Liverpool...
of his day being able to play in several different positions, and doing so well.
He was a member of he side that made Liverpool history when they appeared at Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
for very first time in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
final on the 29 April 1950, unfortunately, Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
spoilt the Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
r's day by scoring 2 unreplied goals in front of the 100,000 crowd.
England manager Walter Winterbottom saw Jones' quality and selected him for the game against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
at Kenilworth Road
Kenilworth Road
Kenilworth Road Stadium is a football stadium in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. It has been home to Luton Town Football Club since 1905, when financial complications forced the club to leave its previous location at Dunstable Road...
, Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
on the 14 May 1950, the English made it a day to remember for Jones winning an exciting game by 5 goals to 3, Jones made 1 other appearance for his country.
Liverpool's league form got gradually worse and they were eventually relegated at the end of the 1953/54 season. This season also proved to be Jones' last for the Reds after 277 appearances scoring 17 goals. His last ever game came on the 24 April 1954, at Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
, Liverpool had already been relegated so the 3-0 defeat to Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
didn't make any difference to the league positions.
Jones went on to become player/manager at Ellesmere Port, he then returned to the club he loved as a scout during the 1960s and 70's where he discovered a lot of quality players.
He passed on his football genes to his grandson, Rob Jones, who followed in granddad Bill's footsteps by playing for both Liverpool and England.
Honours
- League ChampionshipFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
: 1947 - FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
: Runner-up 1950