Wrexham have confirmed they will commission a statue in honour of Joey Jones following the death of the Liverpool legend
Wrexham AFC have confirmed they will commission a statue in honour of former Liverpool defender Joey Jones following the Welshman’s passing. A club legend for both the Reds and the Red Dragons, the Welshman sadly died in the early hours of Tuesday morning at the age of 70 after a battle with illness.
Jones joined Liverpool from Wrexham in a £110,000 deal in 1975, and won the League title, two European Cups, the European Super Cup and the UEFA Cup during his time with the Reds.
A boyhood Reds supporter, he returned to Wrexham in 1978 with his £210,000 transfer fee remaining a club-record which remarkably stood until 2022, when Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds bought Ollie Palmer.
Jones would later enjoy a third stint with Wrexham after returning to the club in 1987, before hanging up his boots in 1992. But his affiliation with the club would continue long after his retirement from playing as he held a number of roles off the pitch.
Wrexham have now shared their devastation at Jones’ passing in an official club statement, as they confirmed plans to commission a statue in honour of their former defender.
It will be placed in the public plaza outside the new, appropriately named, Kop Stand and be accessible to all fans.
Wrexham’s statement in full read: “Wrexham AFC are devastated to learn of the passing of club legend Joey Jones, who sadly died in the early hours of this morning aged 70 after a battle with illness.
“Former Wales international and European champion Jones represented Wrexham across three spells with the club, before a long association with the club off the pitch – as a first-team coach, youth coach and ambassador and a brief spell as interim manager.
“Known as “Mr. Wrexham”, Jones’ association with the club goes back more than 50 years, and the thoughts of all at the football club are with his family, friends and former team-mates and colleagues at this sad time.
“Born in Llandudno, Jones first signed for Wrexham in 1971, making his senior debut aged 17 in a Welsh Cup fixture against Chester in January 1973.
“It was at the final in Rome where Liverpool supporters unfurled the now iconic banner, “Joey Ate The Frogs Legs, Made The Swiss Roll, Now He’s Munching Gladbach”.
“Jones made more than 100 appearances for the club before a £110,000 move to Liverpool in July 1975, where in the 1976/77 season he was part of the team which won the league, finished runners-up in the FA Cup and then beat Borussia Monchengladbach in the European Cup Final.
“After 100 Liverpool appearances and three goals, he re-signed for Wrexham in 1978 for a club-record £210,000 – a record transfer fee which stood until 2021. Jones played in all four of our seasons in the second tier – making 185 appearances and scoring nine goals in his second spell with Wrexham.
“After relegation in 1982, however, Jones later joined former Wrexham manager John Neal at Chelsea – avoiding relegation with the Blues in his first season and then helping them to the Second Division title in 1983/84. He played for Chelsea in the top flight before a move to Huddersfield Town in August 1985.
“Jones scored nine goals in 56 games in the 1988/89 season, as Wrexham reached the play-off final, and was named in the PFA Team of the Year. He remained with the club when Brian Flynn took over as manager – becoming player-coach until his retirement from first-team football in 1992.
“After two seasons with the Terriers, including being named Player of the Season in his first year, he rejoined Wrexham for a third time under former team-mate Dixie McNeil in 1987.
He also represented Wales 72 times between 1975 and 1986, scoring once.
Alongside Flynn and assistant manager Kevin Reeves, Joey helped to oversee the club’s revival in the 1990s. He also continued to turn out for the reserve team, which he managed, for a number of seasons – helping to shape the futures of many of Wrexham’s young stars at the time. He also served as interim manager for two matches, between Flynn’s departure and the arrival of Denis Smith.
“Jones continued to work with both the first team and youth team long after his retirement as a player – serving for another 25 years in total before officially retiring from his off-field duties in 2017.
“He then returned to the club as a Youth Team Ambassador in 2021, and remained a regular attendee at matches at the STōK Cae Ras, alongside his former team-mate and great friend, Mickey Thomas.
“A true club legend, on and off the pitch, with time for everybody he met, Joey will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
“As part of the planned tributes to commemorate Joey Jones’ legacy to Wrexham AFC, the club plans to commission a statue to be placed in the public plaza outside the new Kop Stand that will be accessible to all fans.
“Plans for the public plaza that will act as a fan space on match days and a community space throughout the year also include the positioning of the sister wheel of the Gresford Colliery wheel in remembrance of the miners who perished in the 1934 mining disaster.”