Tributes to Mr Wrexham - a ‘quintessential legend’

WREXHAM, Liverpool and Wales football legend Joey Jones has died at the age of 70.

- JOHN JONES

The former left-back, who also played for Chelsea and Huddersfield, became a cult hero at clubs on both sides of the border and became the first Welshman to receive a European Cup winner's medal when Liverpool won the trophy for the first time in 1977.

He also won 72 caps for Wales and was hailed as “Mr Wrexham” after returning to work at the club after three spells there as a player.

Wrexham AFC have confirmed they will commission a statue in honour of the former defender.

Having started his career at Wrexham, where he made his debut at the age of 17, Jones moved to Anfield in 1975 in a £110,000 deal, and went on to win the First Division and Uefa Cup during his time there.

He became part of Liverpool folklore when Reds fans unfurled a now-legendary banner at the 1977 European Cup final, which read “Joey Ate The Frogs Legs, Made ‘The Swiss Roll, Now He's Munching Gladbach’

Llandudno-born Jones returned to Wales, with Wrexham paying a record £210,000 to bring him back.

That remained the club’s record signing for over 40 years, until Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over and brought in Ollie Palmer from AFC Wimbledon for £300,000 in 2022.