Craig Jones (footballer, born 1987)
{{Short description|English-born Welsh footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Craig Jones
| image =
| fullname = Craig Stephen Jones
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|3|20|df=y}}
| birth_place = Chester, England
| height =
| position = Right wing, Right back
| years1 = 2004–2005 | clubs1 = Airbus UK Broughton | caps1 = 55 | goals1 = 9
| years2 = 2005–2007 | clubs2 = Aberystwyth Town | caps2 = 32 | goals2 = 11
| years3 = 2007–2009 | clubs3 = Rhyl | caps3 = 74 | goals3 = 14
| years4 = 2009–2012 | clubs4 = The New Saints | caps4 = 111 | goals4 = 25
| years5 = 2012–2018| clubs5 = Bury | caps5 = 158 | goals5 = 9
| years6 = 2018 | clubs6 = Connah's Quay Nomads | caps6 = 4 | goals6 = 0
| nationalyears1= 2007–2010
| nationalteam1= Wales under-23 semi-pro
| nationalcaps1=6 | nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2= 2008–2012
| nationalteam2= Wales semi-professional
| nationalcaps2= 3 | nationalgoals2 = 3
| club-update = 17:46, 7 December 2018 (UTC)
}}
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.
Club career
Jones' career started with Airbus UK Broughton and Aberystwyth Town. He joined Rhyl in the May 2007,{{cite web| url=http://www.atfc.org.uk/archivefiles/07may.htm| title=Craig Jones Signs For Rhyl| work=Aberystwyth Town| accessdate=15 January 2012| url-status=dead| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011200144/http://atfc.org.uk/archivefiles/07may.htm| archivedate=11 October 2007}} winning a Welsh Premier League championship medal with the club and representing them in Europe. He then joined The New Saints in May 2009.{{cite web | url=http://www.saints-alive.co.uk/index.php/news/173-rhyl-wingman-joins-the-saints | archive-url=https://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20091027060624/http://www.saints-alive.co.uk/index.php/news/173-rhyl-wingman-joins-the-saints | url-status=dead | archivedate=27 October 2009 | title=Rhyl wingman joins the Saints | work=The New Saints | accessdate=15 January 2012 }} He played for the club in qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League, against clubs such as Helsingborg,{{cite news|title=Champions League: Helsingborg 3–0 The New Saints|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18960417|accessdate=23 August 2012|publisher=BBC Sport|date=25 July 2012}} 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.{{cite news|title=Bury deal for The New Saints' Craig Jones|url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/sport/2012/08/09/bury-deal-for-the-new-saints-craig-jones/|accessdate=23 August 2012|newspaper=Shropshire Star|date=9 August 2012}}
In January 2012 he went on trial with Leeds United for seven days.{{cite web | url=http://www.welsh-premier.com/index.php/headline-news/4249-saints-wingman-jones-in-leeds-united-trial | title=Saints' wingman Jones in Leeds United trial | work=Welsh Premier League | accessdate=15 January 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140114123955/http://www.welsh-premier.com/index.php/headline-news/4249-saints-wingman-jones-in-leeds-united-trial | archive-date=14 January 2014 | url-status=dead }} 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.{{cite news|title=Bury complete signings of Craig Jones and Mark Cullen|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19166575|accessdate=23 August 2012|publisher=BBC Sport|date=7 August 2012}}
He was released by Bury at the end of the 2017–18 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44081823|title=Neil Danns: Bury offer new contract to veteran midfielder|date=11 May 2018|accessdate=11 May 2018|publisher=BBC Sport}}
In August 2018, Jones returned to the Welsh Premier League signing for Connah's Quay Nomads.{{Cite web|url=http://www.deeside.com/nomads-sign-former-bury-fc-captain-craig-jones/|title = Nomads sign former Bury FC captain Craig Jones}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/sport/17201601.connahs-quay-nomads-confirm-the-departure-of-craig-jones/|title = Connah's Quay Nomads confirm the departure of Craig Jones| date=5 November 2018 }}
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.{{cite web | url=http://www.welshpremier.co.uk/news/WelshPrem33727.ink | title=Hat-Trick for Belle Vue Boy as Wales beat Gibraltar| work=welshpremier.co.uk | accessdate=15 January 2012}}
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.{{Cite news
| title= Following in Brynley's footsteps | url= http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/chester-city-fc/chester-city-fc-news/2007/11/16/following-in-brynley-s-footsteps-59067-20113865/ | publisher= Chester Chronicle | date= 16 November 2007| accessdate= 15 January 2012}}
Career statistics
{{Updated|match played 12 September 2017}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | |||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals
!Apps | Goals
!Apps | Goals
!Apps | Goals
!Apps | Goals | |||
| rowspan="6"|Bury
|2013–14{{soccerbase season|71325|2013|accessdate=17 July 2017}} |rowspan="2"|League Two |37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 1 |
| 2014–15{{soccerbase season|71325|2014|accessdate=17 July 2017}}
|40 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1Appearances in the Football League Trophy | 0 | 43 | 3 |
| 2015–16{{soccerbase season|71325|2015|accessdate=17 July 2017}}
|rowspan="3"|League One |36 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 4 |
| 2016–17{{soccerbase season|71325|2016|accessdate=17 July 2017}}
|13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1Appearance in the EFL Trophy | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| 2017–18{{soccerbase season|71325|2017|accessdate=17 July 2017}}
|3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| colspan="2"|Bury total
!129 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 145 | 8 |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!129 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 145 | 8 |
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
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
- Welsh Premier League Young Player of the Season: 2009–10{{cite web |url=https://welsh-premier.com/index.php/people/players-a-to-z |title=People A to Z |publisher=welsh-premier.com |accessdate=7 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140848/https://welsh-premier.com/index.php/people/players-a-to-z |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=dead }}
- Welsh Premier League Team of the Year: 2008–09,{{cite web |url=https://welsh-premier.com/index.php/dream-team-2008-9 |title=Dream team 2008/09 |publisher=welsh-premier.com |accessdate=6 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612145447/https://welsh-premier.com/index.php/dream-team-2008-9 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=dead }} 2009–10{{cite web |url=https://welsh-premier.com/index.php/dream-team-2009-10 |title=Dream team 2009/10 |publisher=welsh-premier.com |accessdate=6 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612145441/https://welsh-premier.com/index.php/dream-team-2009-10 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=dead }} 2010–11,{{cite web |url=https://welsh-premier.com/index.php/dream-team-2010-11 |title=Dream team 2010/11 |publisher=welsh-premier.com |date=3 June 2018 |accessdate=5 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143645/https://welsh-premier.com/index.php/dream-team-2010-11 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=dead }} 2011–12{{cite web |url=https://welsh-premier.com/index.php/dream-team-2011-12 |title=Dream team 2011/12 |publisher=welsh-premier.com |accessdate=5 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612153445/https://welsh-premier.com/index.php/dream-team-2011-12 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=dead }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}} (contains errors)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120926145850/http://www.buryfc.co.uk/team/player-profile/index.aspx?playerid=240953&tcmuri=310388 Profile] on the official Bury FC website
- {{Soccerway|craig-steven-jones/35295}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Craig}}
Category:Footballers from Chester
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:Wales men's under-23 international footballers
Category:English men's footballers
Category:English people of Welsh descent
Category:Men's association football wingers
Category:Aberystwyth Town F.C. players
Category:Airbus UK Broughton F.C. players
Category:The New Saints F.C. players
Category:Cymru Premier players