Name: John Jones
Born: 3 April 1907, Lurgan
Died: 20 March 1986, Lurgan
Height:
Weight:
Position: Centre-Half/Right-Half
Representative Honours: Ireland: 23 Full Caps
(1930-1937), 5 Amateur Caps
(1929-1931); Irish League: 12 Caps
(1930-1935); Army Representative.
Club Honours: (with Linfield) Irish League Champion
1929/30, 1931/32, 1933/34, 1934/35; Irish Cup Winner
1929/30, 1930/31, 1933/34, Runner-Up
1931/32; Gold Cup Winner; Co. Antrim Shield Winner
1929/30, 1931/32, 1932/33, 1933/34, 1934/35.
Club Career:
Teams
|
Seasons
|
Signed
|
Fee
|
League
|
FA Cup
|
Other
|
Wellington
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Sunnyside
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
King's
Own Scottish Borderers
|
Mar-25
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Glenavon
|
-
|
-
|
Guest
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Linfield
|
29/30-35/36
|
-29
|
Amateur
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Hibernian
|
35/36-38/39
|
Dec-35
|
£4,500
|
50/4
|
4/0
|
-
|
Glenavon
|
37/38-38/39
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Bath
City
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(Southern League)
|
TOTALS
|
-
|
£4,500
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Biography:
Jack “Soldier” Jones was a remarkably consistent player for Ireland, normally at centre-half and often as captain, playing on 23 occasions. A tenter’s son from Brownlow Terrace, Lurgan, he was the eldest of five boys and two girls. Football was in his blood; his mother was sister of the Burnison brothers (two Irish internationals, a Junior international and an Inter-League representative), and his younger brother Sam also went on to play for Ireland. Jones was a Lipton’s message boy before he left the mill to join the Army. He walked into the Omagh Army Recruitment Office, along with five pals, in March 1925. He signed up to the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, attaining the rank of corporal, and playing at right-half for the Army in France, Germany and Belgium.
Jones was still in the Army, though playing with Linfield, when he made his debut for Ireland at centre-half in the famous 7-0 victory over Wales in February 1930. His mind set on taking football seriously, he bought himself out of the Army the following November for £35, joining the RUC. Still unhappy at not being able to take his football as seriously as he wished, Jones left the Police after just six months – his aim, to make football his profession.
The complete defender, Jones possessed the physical strength and solidity to stand in the way of almost any attacking threat, but also natural style and technique to play the ball forward effectively. A supremely successful six years at Windsor Park brought Jones four League titles, three Irish Cup wins, Gold Cup and Co. Antrim Shield successes and twelve Inter-League appearances. He would later describe his time with Linfield thus: “Those were great days at Windsor Park… When playing for Linfield you felt on top of the world… once you put on the blue jersey you felt supreme.”
Jones left Linfield mid-way through the 1935/36 season in acrimonious fashion. He had a disagreement with the club over the question of a benefit match. Jones sought a guaranteed sum, but the club were unable to give it to him, so he asked for a transfer. Interest was shown by both Arsenal and Newcastle, but it was Hibernian he stepped in with the quickest offer, paying a then club and Irish League record of £4,500, with £1,000 going to Jones. Also transferred between the two clubs at the same time was Bill Gowdy, and the two players helped Hibernian pull away from the relegation places. He also captained the team.
After finishing his playing days with Bath City, Jones scouted for Linfield in his native Lurgan during the 1940s, sending Wilbur Cush and Jimmy Jones (his nephew) to Windsor Park. Neither were signed, and both would later play for Glenavon, where Jones was trainer under Jimmy McAlinden, in the successful sides of the 1950s.
Northern Ireland Cap Details:
01-02-1930 Wales... H W 7-0 BC
22-02-1930 Scotland A L 1-3 BC
20-10-1930 England. A L 1-5 BC
21-02-1931 Scotland H D 0-0 BC
22-04-1931 Wales... A L 2-3 BC
19-09-1931 Scotland A L 1-3 BC
17-10-1931 England. H L 2-6 BC
17-09-1932 Scotland H L 0-4 BC
17-10-1932 England. A L 0-1 BC
07-12-1932 Wales... A L 1-4 BC
16-09-1933 Scotland A W 2-1 BC
14-10-1933 England. H L 0-3 BC
04-11-1933 Wales... H D 1-1 BC
20-10-1934 Scotland H W 2-1 BC
06-02-1935 England. A L 1-2 BC
27-03-1935 Wales... A L 1-3 BC
19-10-1935 England. H L 1-3 BC
13-11-1935 Scotland A L 1-2 BC
11-03-1936 Wales... H W 3-2 BC
31-10-1936 Scotland H L 1-3 BC
18-11-1936 England. A L 1-3 BC
17-03-1937 Wales... A L 1-4 BC
23-10-1937 England. H L 1-5 BC
Summary: 23/0. Won 4, Drew 2, Lost 17.
Northern Ireland Amateur Cap Details:
10-11-1928 England. H L 0-2
12-10-1929 Scotland H L 0-3
16-11-1929 England. A L 2-7
20-09-1930 Scotland A L 0-2
15-11-1930 England. H W 3-1
Summary: 5/0. Won 1, Drew 0, Lost 1.
