Craig Jones (footballer, born 1987)
Craig Jones (born 20 March 1987) is retired footballer who played as a midfielder. Previously, he was club captain at Bury. He is a three times Welsh Premier League champion. He previously played for Welsh clubs Airbus UK Broughton, Aberystwyth Town, Rhyl, TNS and Connah's Quay.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Craig Stephen Jones | ||
Date of birth | 20 March 1987 | ||
Place of birth | Chester, England | ||
Position(s) | Right wing, Right back | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2004–2005 | Airbus UK Broughton | 55 | (9) |
2005–2007 | Aberystwyth Town | 32 | (11) |
2007–2009 | Rhyl | 74 | (14) |
2009–2012 | The New Saints | 111 | (25) |
2012–2018 | Bury | 158 | (9) |
2018 | Connah's Quay Nomads | 4 | (0) |
International career | |||
2007–2010 | Wales under-23 semi-pro | 6 | (0) |
2008–2012 | Wales semi-professional | 3 | (3) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:46, 7 December 2018 (UTC) |
Club career
Jones' career started with Airbus UK Broughton and Aberystwyth Town. He joined Rhyl in the May 2007,[1] winning a Welsh Premier League championship medal with the club and representing them in Europe. He then joined The New Saints in May 2009.[2] He played for the club in qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League, against clubs such as Helsingborg,[3] Anderlecht, and Bohemians scoring in both home legs against the Belgian and Irish champions. In July 2012, he played his final matches for The New Saints playing a significant role in both legs of the second-round qualifying matches of the UEFA Champions League against Swedish Treble-winning side (comprising Super Cup, League and Swedish Cup titles) Helsingborg. In total he scored 25 goals in 111 appearances for the club.[4]
In January 2012 he went on trial with Leeds United for seven days.[5] After attracting interest from several English League and European Clubs, Jones signed a two-year deal with League One club Bury in August 2012, after Bury paid out an undisclosed fee for his services from TNS.[6]
He was released by Bury at the end of the 2017–18 season.[7]
In August 2018, Jones returned to the Welsh Premier League signing for Connah's Quay Nomads.[8] Jones made six appearances in all competitions for the Nomads, including playing in a Scottish Challenge Cup victory over Falkirk where he assisted the winning goal. He departed the club three months later after struggling to attain the required level of fitness.[9]
International career
Jones won 9 caps for Wales at the semi-pro under-23 level, and captained the side once. He was selected for the senior semi-pro team for the 2008 Four Nations, scoring a hat-trick against Gibraltar.[10]
Personal life
His father Brynley was also a professional football player, having played for Chester City in the Football League, as well as Bangor City and Oswestry Town.[11]
Career statistics
- As of match played 12 September 2017
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Bury | 2013–14[12] | League Two | 37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 1 |
2014–15[13] | 40 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 43 | 3 | ||
2015–16[14] | League One | 36 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 42 | 4 | |
2016–17[15] | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 15 | 0 | ||
2017–18[16] | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
Bury total | 129 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 145 | 8 | ||
Career total | 129 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 145 | 8 |
- Appearances in the Football League Trophy
- Appearance in the EFL Trophy
Honours
- with Rhyl
- Welsh Premier League champion: 2008–09
- Welsh League Cup runner-up: 2008
- with The New Saints
- Welsh Premier League champion: 2009–10 & 2011–12
- Welsh Premier League runner-up: 2010–11
- Welsh Cup winner: 2012
- Welsh League Cup winner: 2009, 2010 & 2011
Individual
References
- "Craig Jones Signs For Rhyl". Aberystwyth Town. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
- "Rhyl wingman joins the Saints". The New Saints. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
- "Champions League: Helsingborg 3–0 The New Saints". BBC Sport. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
- "Bury deal for The New Saints' Craig Jones". Shropshire Star. 9 August 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
- "Saints' wingman Jones in Leeds United trial". Welsh Premier League. Archived from the original on 14 January 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
- "Bury complete signings of Craig Jones and Mark Cullen". BBC Sport. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
- "Neil Danns: Bury offer new contract to veteran midfielder". BBC Sport. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- "Nomads sign former Bury FC captain Craig Jones".
- "Connah's Quay Nomads confirm the departure of Craig Jones".
- "Hat-Trick for Belle Vue Boy as Wales beat Gibraltar". welshpremier.co.uk. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
- "Following in Brynley's footsteps". Chester Chronicle. 16 November 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
- "Games played by Craig Jones in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
- "Games played by Craig Jones in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
- "Games played by Craig Jones in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
- "Games played by Craig Jones in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
- "Games played by Craig Jones in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
- "People A to Z". welsh-premier.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
- "Dream team 2008/09". welsh-premier.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- "Dream team 2009/10". welsh-premier.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- "Dream team 2010/11". welsh-premier.com. 3 June 2018. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
- "Dream team 2011/12". welsh-premier.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
External links
- Craig Jones at Soccerbase (contains errors)
- Profile on the official Bury FC website
- Craig Jones at Soccerway