Gary Jones (footballer, born 1975)

Gary Steven Jones (born 10 May 1975) is an English former professional footballer and first team coach of Marine.

Gary Jones
Personal information
Full name Gary Steven Jones
Date of birth (1975-05-10) 10 May 1975
Place of birth Chester, England
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Marine
(First Team Coach)
Youth career
Tranmere Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–2000 Tranmere Rovers 178 (28)
2000–2002 Nottingham Forest 36 (2)
2002 → Tranmere Rovers (loan) 6 (0)
2002–2005 Tranmere Rovers 86 (17)
2005–2008 Grimsby Town 118 (27)
Total 424 (74)
Managerial career
2014 Chester (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

As a player, he was a forward and makeshift midfielder from 1993 until 2008 for Tranmere Rovers, Nottingham Forest and Grimsby Town. In 2008 after retiring from the playing side of the game he has since held various positions on the coaching staff at Colwyn Bay, Chester, Stockport County and Altrincham.

Playing career

Gary Jones started his career as a trainee at Tranmere Rovers in 1993, and he was a commanding force for the club, which in turn saw him move to Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2000. Whilst at Tranmere he played in the 2000 Football League Cup Final. However, after playing only a brief role in first team affairs at Forest, he re-joined Tranmere in 2002, initially on loan before he made the move permanent. Jones once again played a vital part in the Rovers squad, and remained a regular at Prenton Park until he was released in June 2005. He joined Grimsby Town on trial a month later and after a slow start to the 2005–06 season, due to lack of fitness, Gary provided vital goals in Grimsby's ultimately unsuccessful promotion push. He was leading goal scorer with 17 goals in all competitions and formed a very effective partnership with Michael Reddy who scored 14 goals. He was seemingly going to miss the playoff final due to a 90th minute red card[1] in the second leg of the semi-final, but this was rescinded on appeal.[2]

He signed a new one-year deal at Grimsby Town in the summer of 2007. He enjoyed a great rapport with the fans, and his whole-hearted displays made him a big favourite. He played most of the 2007–08 season with an injury (including an appearance as a substitute at Wembley as Grimsby lost out to MK Dons in the Football League Trophy final). Jones underwent surgery to improve his troublesome injury, but left Grimsby due to family reasons and then eventually retired.

Management career

On 24 September 2008, it was announced that Jones was the new assistant manager at Colwyn Bay Football Club.[3] On 21 May 2010 he returned to his home town and was appointed assistant manager of Chester the new club who were formed out of the liquidation of Chester City.

In January 2014 he was appointed caretaker manager of Chester following the departure of Neil Young.[4] He has since worked at Stockport County, Altrincham and Marine.[5]

References
  1. 2006 Play off semi final, 2nd leg – Match Report at Telegraph.co.uk
  2. Successful Appeal – news.bbc.co.uk
  3. "Colwyn Bay appoint a new manager". 24 September 2008.
  4. "Chester part company with boss Young". BBC Sport.
  5. "Gary Jones - Marine Football Club".
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