Mick Jones (footballer)

Mick Jones (born Worksop, England, 24th April 1945) was a strong, traditional centre forward who led the line for the great Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s.

Jones joined Leeds in 1967 after scoring 63 goals in 149 appearances for Sheffield United, for whom he'd signed as an apprentice in 1962. When Leeds manager Don Revie bought him, the 100,000 pounds fee was the first time Leeds had paid out a six-figure sum for a player. He had made his England debut in 1965 against West Germany.

Handed the No.9 shirt and told to score goals and annoy defenders, Jones went on to do just that with aplomb and authority for seven years. Leeds won the League Cup in his first season (though Jones didn't feature in the campaign as he was cup-tied) and the Fairs Cup, with Jones scoring twice during the competition.

The following season Leeds won the League championship with Jones settling into the highest level of club football with 14 goals. However, Revie was aware that he needed more help with the finishing up front, and in the summer of 1969 he paid another six-figure sum for Leicester City striker Allan Clarke - and so began one of football's most feared strike partnerships.

Jones, the more bruising of the two, often scored goals through indvidiual runs using his burlier frame, and was brave enough to put his head among the flying boots to get goals of courage. Clarke was more reiant on guile and positional sense. Together they were a nightmare for central defenders as Leeds stormed towards a possible "treble" of League title, FA Cup and European Cup. It would end tragically for them.

Everton edged out Leeds for the League title, and Celtic F.C. beat them in the European Cup semi-finals. In the FA Cup final against Chelsea, Jones was to the fore as Leeds tried to salvage something from their season.

At Wembley, the game was locked at 1-1 on a bumpy, sandy pitch (due to the Horse Of The Year show being held there the previous week) with fewer than ten minutes. Then Leeds attacked down the right flank with Johnny Giles crossing for Clarke to plant a meaty header past Chelsea goalkeeper Peter Bonetti. The ball rebounded off the post, evading Leeds striker Peter Lorimer who was following up. Jones, who had dropped deep to start the move, was still jogging towards the area when he saw the ball trundle towards him - and he fired a superb left foot shot into the net beyond Bonetti's recovering reach. Most goals in a Cup final scored so late would emerge as the clincher.

Chelsea, however, equalised quickly due to poor marking in the Leeds defence and so the game went to a replay at Old Trafford. Leeds took the lead in the first half, when a superb run by Clarke set Jones on his way towards goal, and he smashed a terrific right foot shot past Bonetti. Chelsea, however, ended up winning after extra time and Leeds ended the season trophyless.

A last-day win for Arsenal cost Leeds the title again 1971 but in 1972 some success finally came Leeds' way - though the season still had personal tribulations for Jones.

While challenging for the title again, Leeds also got to another FA Cup final and, still to win the competition, went up against holders Arsenal not as favourites. But they won 1-0, with Jones setting up Clarke for the only goal of the game - his fine cross on the turn from the byline was headed home by his strike partner.

However, Jones suffered an appallingly dislocated shoulder in the last minute of the game after landing awkwardly from an aerial duel. He was in so much pain that he had to helped to the Royal box to collect his medal. Team-mate Norman Hunter guided Jones up the steps and then afterwards claimed that the striker's enforced absence for the League title decider against Wolves a few days later cost Leeds the championship. Leeds lost 2-1 and the title went to Derby County.

Jones played in two finals the following year, both of which Leeds again lost. The 1-0 defeat to Sunderland in the FA Cup final was notable for its shock value (Sunderland were a division below) and Jones is best remembered for prematurely celebrating a goal by Lorimer which had not, in fact, crossed the line owing to a phenomenal save by goalkeeper Jimmy Montgomery which he had not been expected to make. Leeds subsequently lost the European Cup Winners Cup final to AC Milan by the same scoreline.

In an astonishing 29-match unbeaten run at the start of the next season, Jones bagged 14 goals as Leeds coasted to the title. But he was beginning to have problems with one of his knees and spent the summer of 1974 having intensive physiotherapy. In early 1975, he began playing reserve football again, but experienced pain continuously. With Joe Jordan in the No.9 shirt and scoring frequently, and the team (despite Revie's departure in the summer to take over the England job) reaching its first European Cup final, Jones was a dejected spectator who didn't figure in the team all season. He watched disconsolately as Leeds lost the European Cup final to Bayern Munich and then retired at the age of 30, unable to beat his knee problem. His Leeds career ended with 111 goals from 312 appearances.

Jones fell on hard times after retiring back to Worksop but eventually began selling sports equipment on market stalls. He also worked in the pub business.

He won three England caps.