Born: 13 May 1921

Born in: Whaley Bridge

Died: 26 December 2010

Other clubs: Hayfield St Matthews; York City, Leeds United, Reading (wartime guest), Ellesmere Port Town

Signed from: Hayfield St Matthews

Joined Liverpool: 24.09.1938

Debut: 31 Aug 1946

Final appearance: 24 Apr 1954

Debut goal: 07 Sep 1946

Last goal: 16 Sep 1953

Contract until: 25.05.1954

Honours: League Championship 1946/47

Wartime: Apps / Goals: 20 / 4

League: Apps / Goals / Assists: 256 / 17 / 4

All Competitions: Apps / Goals / Assists: 277 / 17 / 5

Player Profile

Jones joined Liverpool as a teenager in 1938 but his career and life was soon put on hold as World War II immediately deprived him of several years of competitive football. By the time the Football League resumed 'normal service' on the last day of August 1946, Jones was 24 years old but he immediately made up for lost time by helping his club win the League title, playing in 26 of the 42 League matches and scoring twice. His switch to right-back for six weeks in the middle of the title season, with Ray Lambert going to the left, impressed a Echo reporter so much that he suggested he should feature there for England. Although the club would never reach such heights again for nearly 20 years, Jones was a regular member of the side for the next seven seasons. He featured most often at centre-half but was an extremely versatile man who could play, and play well, in several different positions. Jones was capped by his country twice at centre-half. "Had Liverpool not rescued me from the obscurity of a minor Derbyshire club, I should probably have tried to earn a living at cricket or golf," Jones said in the souvenir brochure for the 1950 FA Cup final. "My leaning was towards the latter, and golf is still my main hobby. I plead guilty to being one of the most superstitious fellows in our side. I always avoid being third behind the skipper on leaving the dressing room. Why? I have not the faintest idea."

Jones played in Liverpool's first-ever Wembley cup final against Arsenal in 1950, but had to settle for a runners-up medal. But unfortunately the club never built on the little success it had enjoyed in the immediate post-war years and from 1950 onwards their final League placing got steadily worse until in 1953/54, which proved to be Jones' last season at Anfield, relegation which had been narrowly avoided the previous season became a reality. It was a sad end to a fine Anfield career. Jones was put up for sale and joined Ellesmere Port Town as player-coach. Bill is the grandfather of Liverpool's Rob Jones and followed his grandson's career closely: "We are very proud of his achievements and I have to admit he is a better player than I was. He is a lot faster for a start."

When former Liverpool captain and legend, Donald Mackinlay, was asked in 1955 about the best Liverpool players he had ever seen, he singled out Bill. "One of the finest centre-halves I have ever seen. I would have loved to have played behind him. What a tragedy it was he was moved about such a lot."

Jones died on Boxing Day 2010 at the Countess of Chester Hospital, aged 89.