Daniel Jones (footballer)

Daniel Jones

Jones warming up for Port Vale before the match against Northampton Town on 20 April 2013.
Personal information
Full name	Daniel Jeffrey Jones
Date of birth	(1986-12-23) 23 December 1986
Place of birth	Rowley Regis, England[1]
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Playing position	Left-back / Left-wing
Club information
Current team	Chesterfield
Number	3
Youth career
1997–2005	Wolverhampton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2005–2010	Wolverhampton Wanderers	10	(0)
2007–2008	→ Northampton Town (loan)	33	(3)
2008	→ Oldham Athletic (loan)	12	(1)
2009	→ Oldham Athletic (loan)	11	(0)
2009	→ Notts County (loan)	7	(1)
2010	→ Bristol Rovers (loan)	17	(0)
2010–2013	Sheffield Wednesday	37	(0)
2013–2014	Port Vale	36	(1)
2014–	Chesterfield	52	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 05:51, 9 December 2015 (UTC). † Appearances (goals)

Daniel Jeffrey Jones (born 23 December 1986) is an English footballer who plays for League One side Chesterfield. He is able to play as a left-back or on the left side of midfield.

He began his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers, turning professional in January 2005 after a long association as a youth team prospect. He was loaned out to Northampton Town, Oldham Athletic, Notts County and Bristol Rovers, but never won a regular first team place at Wolves. He made a permanent move to Sheffield Wednesday in June 2010, and was a squad member as the "Owls" were promoted out of League One in 2011–12. He joined Port Vale in January 2013, and helped the club to secure promotion out of League Two in 2012–13. He left the club in April 2014 after a training ground bust-up, and signed with Chesterfield the following month.

Career

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Born in Rowley Regis, West Midlands, Jones joined the Wolverhampton Wanderer academy at the age of ten, and moved up through the ranks to sign his first professional contract at Molineux under Glenn Hoddle in January 2005.^[2] He made his first team debut on 1 April 2006, in a 2–0 defeat to Plymouth Argyle at Home Park; he was replaced by Rob Edwards on 62 minutes.^[3] He played eight Championship games in the 2006–07 season, though only played one of these games from December onwards.

In August 2007, he joined League One club Northampton Town on loan, with manager Stuart Gray already aware of Jones from his time as a coach at Wolves.^[4] He scored his first goal in the Football League on 15 December, in a 2–2 draw with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.^[5] He claimed another goal six days later, in a 4–1 win over Bournemouth.^[6] He had his loan deal extended until 25 January.^[7] Wolves boss Mick McCarthy agreed to the loan extension despite being keen to see the youngster's progress for himself.^[8] He scored his third career goal on 19 January, converting a 25-yard direct free-kick in a 1–0 win over Gillingham at the Priestfield Stadium.^[9] He returned to his parent club after this spell but after managing just one substitute appearance for Wolves, he was allowed to return on loan to Sixfields in March 2008 until the end of the 2007–08 season.^[10] He made a total of 39 league and cup appearances for the "Cobblers".

Jones joined League One side Oldham Athletic on a one-month loan in October 2008 after signing a new two-year contract with Wolves.^[11] He scored on his debut to help John Sheridan's "Latics" to a 4–0 victory over Hereford United at Boundary Park.^[12] His loan was subsequently extended to run until 3 January,^[13] but he returned to Wolves with a knee injury a week early.^[14] Once recovered, he again returned to Oldham on loan in February.^[15] Including both spells in the 2008–09 season, Jones played 25 games for Oldham.

Jones joined League Two club Notts County on loan in September 2009 with a view to a permanent move when the transfer window reopened in January.^[16] In December, confirmation came that the deal would be made permanent,^[17] however he left Meadow Lane and returned to Wolves the following month, having played just eight games for Steve Cotterill's "Magpies". In February 2010, he signed for Bristol Rovers on an initial one-month loan, as "Pirates" manager Paul Trollope needed cover for the left-back spot.^[18] The loan deal was subsequently extended until the end of the 2009–10 season.^[19] After it was announced that he would not be offered a new deal at Wolves,^[20] Jones said that he was considering a return to the Memorial Stadium though wanted to keep his options open.^[21] Trollope was quoted as being "very much hopeful" of signing Jones after "detailed discussions" were held.^[22]

Sheffield Wednesday

Jones signed a three-year deal with League One side Sheffield Wednesday in June 2010.^[23] He played 34 games in the 2010–11 campaign, as a poor season meant that manager Alan Irvine was replaced by Gary Megson at the half-way stage. Jones struggled with an ankle injury at the start of the 2011–12 season, and then was sidelined with a calf injury in February.^[24] Promotion out of League One was secure largely in his absence, and a first team place at Hillsborough proved to be out of reach as Wednesday struggled to survive in the Championship in the 2012–13 season under the stewardship of new boss Dave Jones. Searching for first team football elsewhere, he left Wednesday by mutual consent on 17 January 2013.^[25][26]

Port Vale

Only hours after his release by Sheffield Wednesday was announced, Jones agreed to join League Two leaders Port Vale on a short-term deal until the end of the 2012–13 season.^[27] He scored on his debut with "a stunning long-range effort" in a 2–2 draw with AFC Wimbledon at Kingsmeadow on 24 January.^[28] Vale were promoted at the end of the season, with Jones making 16 appearances. He signed a new two-year contract in the summer, citing manager Micky Adams' attacking philosophy as a reason for extending his stay at the club.^[29]

He started the 2013–14 season in the first eleven, but had to fight for his place after missing with a groin strain.^[30] He picked up the club's first red card of the season on 19 October, when he was dismissed for two bookable offences 20 minutes into a 2–1 defeat to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.^[31] Two months later he was sidelined for several weeks after picking up a foot injury.^[32] He returned to the first team on the left-side of midfield in February.^[33] On 14 April 2014, Jones was sacked by Port Vale following a training ground bust-up that left club captain Doug Loft with a facial injury.^[34]

Chesterfield

On 15 May 2014, Jones signed a two-contract year with newly promoted League One side Chesterfield as manager Paul Cook's first signing of the 2014–15 season.^[35] On 4 October he was fouled by Sheffield United's Michael Higdon, who was sent off for the challenge, though Jones was ridiculed for his "fish out of water" reaction.^[36] Jones himself was sent off on 29 November, after getting involved with a fight during a 1–1 draw at Crawley Town.^[37] He helped the "Spireites" to the play-offs, where they were beaten by Preston North End at the semi-final stage.^[38]

Jones suffered a fractured ankle during Chesterfield's match 4–0 defeat to Swindon Town on 28 November 2015, which kept him out of action for six months.^[39]

Style of play

Speaking in January 2013, former Sheffield Wednesday teammate Anthony Gardner described Jones as a "strong, tall, very athletic" player possessing "a great left foot" and a "great engine" who is "quick" and "good both defensively and in attack".^[40]

Personal life

Jones has been a Wolverhampton Wanderers supporter since childhood.^[41]

Statistics

As of match played 28 November 2015

Honours

with Sheffield Wednesday

• Football League One runner-up: 2011–12

with Port Vale

• Football League Two third-place promotion: 2012–13^[54]

References

External links

• Daniel Jones career statistics at Soccerbase