Paul Jones (footballer born 1978)
Encyclopedia
Paul Jones is an English
footballer who plays for Altrincham
. He plays as a centre back. Jones had two spells with Barrow
. He has also played with Leigh RMI, Hyde United and in the Football League
with Blackpool
and Oldham Athletic
. He was born in Liverpool
.
club Tranmere Rovers
, but failed to make any appearances. He did have a brief period on loan
with Blackpool, before being released. Jones then joined Barrow AFC for the start of the 1997-98 season, then of the Unibond Premier League. He played regularly for the club, and was part of the championship winning team. Despite Barrow's money problems the following season in the Football Conference
, he remained with Barrow before they were demoted on financial grounds.
Leigh RMI of the Conference were Jones' next club, but his form attracted the attention of Oldham Athletic of the Football League Second Division
. He played seventeen times for Oldham in the second half of the 1999-2000 season, but struggled with an injury sustained early in the following season. He remained with the club, but did not play for them at all in 2001 or until leaving in Summer 2002.
Following his injury struggle, Jones returned to football at a lower level in 2003, with Hyde United of the Northern Premier League. Hyde were relegated to the Northern Premier League First Division
for the start of the 2003/04 season, but Jones became a regular as the club won promotion
in 2004 and 2005. After helping Hyde stay in the Conference North
, which had been introduced below the Conference National in 2004, Jones returned to Barrow AFC for the 2006/07 season.
Barrow were also in the Conference North, and flirted with relegation under manager Phil Wilson
throughout Jones' first season and into the next. Wilson was sacked in November 2007, and Jones was one of the three players chosen as Barrow's temporary player-managers. Following a series of impressive results, his two co-managers, Darren Sheridan
and Dave Bayliss, were hired permanently managers while Jones focused on playing duties as club captain with a coaching role. Barrow continued to be successful and Jones remained a key part of the team as Barrow won promotion via the play-offs, following a twenty match unbeaten streak. Jones remained with the club, returning to the Conference National in which he had competed with Barrow some ten seasons previously.
On 1 March 2011, Jones joined Conference North
side Droylsden
on a one month loan in a bid to improve his match fitness. In May 2011 he played his final game for the club, ending a seven year association with the club.
In July 2011 he joined Altrincham
.
In September 2011 Jones was released by Altrincham
but wasted no time in signing for league rivals Vauxhall Motors
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who plays for Altrincham
Altrincham F.C.
Altrincham Football Club is an English association football club from Altrincham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Conference North, having been relegated from the Conference National at the end of the 2010–11 season.-History:...
. He plays as a centre back. Jones had two spells with Barrow
Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have...
. He has also played with Leigh RMI, Hyde United and in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
with 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...
and Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
. He was born in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
.
Career history
Jones began his career with local MerseysideMerseyside
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...
club Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
, but failed to make any appearances. He did have a brief period on loan
Loan (football)
In sports, a loan involves a particular player being allowed to temporarily play for a club other than the one he is currently contracted to. Loan deals may last from a few weeks to all season-long....
with Blackpool, before being released. Jones then joined Barrow AFC for the start of the 1997-98 season, then of the Unibond Premier League. He played regularly for the club, and was part of the championship winning team. Despite Barrow's money problems the following season in the Football Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
, he remained with Barrow before they were demoted on financial grounds.
Leigh RMI of the Conference were Jones' next club, but his form attracted the attention of Oldham Athletic of the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. He played seventeen times for Oldham in the second half of the 1999-2000 season, but struggled with an injury sustained early in the following season. He remained with the club, but did not play for them at all in 2001 or until leaving in Summer 2002.
Following his injury struggle, Jones returned to football at a lower level in 2003, with Hyde United of the Northern Premier League. Hyde were relegated to the Northern Premier League First Division
Northern Premier League First Division
The Northern Premier League First Division was a football league covering the north of England. After the creation of Conference North/South in the 2004-05 season it sat at level 8 of the English football league system....
for the start of the 2003/04 season, but Jones became a regular as the club won promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
in 2004 and 2005. After helping Hyde stay in the Conference North
Conference North
The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of...
, which had been introduced below the Conference National in 2004, Jones returned to Barrow AFC for the 2006/07 season.
Barrow were also in the Conference North, and flirted with relegation under manager Phil Wilson
Phil Wilson
Phil Wilson may refer to:Musicians*Phil Wilson , singer with The June Brides and solo artist*Phil Wilson , American jazz trombonist and educator*Phillip Wilson , American jazz drummerPoliticians...
throughout Jones' first season and into the next. Wilson was sacked in November 2007, and Jones was one of the three players chosen as Barrow's temporary player-managers. Following a series of impressive results, his two co-managers, Darren Sheridan
Darren Sheridan
Darren Stephen Sheridan is an English footballer.He is currently a player-manager for English non-league club Barrow...
and Dave Bayliss, were hired permanently managers while Jones focused on playing duties as club captain with a coaching role. Barrow continued to be successful and Jones remained a key part of the team as Barrow won promotion via the play-offs, following a twenty match unbeaten streak. Jones remained with the club, returning to the Conference National in which he had competed with Barrow some ten seasons previously.
On 1 March 2011, Jones joined Conference North
Conference North
The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of...
side Droylsden
Droylsden F.C.
Droylsden F.C. is an English football club based in Droylsden, near Manchester. As of the 2011–12 season, they play in the Conference North.-History:...
on a one month loan in a bid to improve his match fitness. In May 2011 he played his final game for the club, ending a seven year association with the club.
In July 2011 he joined Altrincham
Altrincham F.C.
Altrincham Football Club is an English association football club from Altrincham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Conference North, having been relegated from the Conference National at the end of the 2010–11 season.-History:...
.
In September 2011 Jones was released by Altrincham
Altrincham F.C.
Altrincham Football Club is an English association football club from Altrincham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Conference North, having been relegated from the Conference National at the end of the 2010–11 season.-History:...
but wasted no time in signing for league rivals Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors F.C.
Vauxhall Motors Football Club is an English football club based in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, who play in the Conference North. It was originally the works team of the car manufacturer Vauxhall...
.
Honours
- FA TrophyFA TrophyThe Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
- Winner 2009/10 - Conference NorthConference NorthThe Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of...
- Play-Off Winners 2007/08 - Northern Premier League Premier DivisionNorthern Premier League Premier DivisionThe Premier Division is the top division of the Northern Premier League. It is at Step 3 of the National League System, placing it six divisions below the Premier League...
- Champions 1997/98, 2004/05 - Northern Premier League First DivisionNorthern Premier League First DivisionThe Northern Premier League First Division was a football league covering the north of England. After the creation of Conference North/South in the 2004-05 season it sat at level 8 of the English football league system....
- Champions 2003/04
External links
- Paul Jones Profile at BarrowAFC.com (Barrow only)