Nico Jones
Nico Anthony Jones (born 3 February 2002) is a professional footballer who last played as a central defender for Premier League club Brentford.
![]() Jones playing for Brentford B in April 2022. | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Nico Anthony Jones[1] | ||
Date of birth | 3 February 2002 | ||
Place of birth | Chelsea, England[2] | ||
Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[3] | ||
Position(s) | Central defender | ||
Youth career | |||
2010–2018 | Fulham | ||
2018–2019 | Oxford United | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2019–2021 | Oxford United | 3 | (0) |
2020 | → Oxford City (loan) | 3 | (0) |
2021 | → Havant & Waterlooville (loan) | 1 | (0) |
2021–2023 | Brentford | 0 | (0) |
International career | |||
2019 | Republic of Ireland U18 | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:41, 26 July 2023 (UTC) |
Jones is a product of the Fulham Academy and began his professional career with Oxford United. He transferred to Brentford B in 2021, for whom he played until his release in 2023. Born in England, Jones was capped by the Republic of Ireland at under-18 level.
Club career
Early years and Oxford United
A central defender, Jones began his youth career in the Fulham Academy at under-9 level.[3][4] After eight years with the club,[4] he signed a scholarship deal with Oxford United in 2018.[5] He made three first team appearances late in the 2018–19 season and signed a two-year professional contract, with the option of a further year, in June 2019.[6] Jones made just one senior appearance during the 2019–20 season,[7] albeit a memorable one, when he captained Oxford United to a 4–1 EFL Trophy group stage win over Crawley Town on 12 November 2019.[8] The appearance made him the club's youngest-ever captain.[8]
Jones was thereafter was reduced to making EFL Trophy appearances and spent time away on loan at National League South clubs Oxford City and Havant & Waterlooville during the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons.[2][7][9][10] He was released in June 2021, after the club neglected to take up the one-year option on his contract.[11] Jones made eight senior appearances during three seasons at the Kassam Stadium.[12]
Brentford
On 15 August 2021, Jones transferred to the B team at Premier League club Brentford and signed two-year contract, with the option of a further year, on a free transfer.[13] Over the course of the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons, he made 61 B team appearances and was a part of the 2021–22 London Senior Cup-winning squad.[14][15] Jones occasionally participated in first team training during the 2021–22 season and made one mid-season friendly appearance.[16][17] He was released when his contract expired in June 2023.[14]
International career
Jones was called into the Republic of Ireland under-18 squad for a friendly tournament in Sweden in September 2019 and he made one appearance,[18] in a 0–0 draw with the hosts.[19] Jones made his maiden under-20 appearance with a start in a non-cap friendly versus the Republic of Ireland amateur team on 22 March 2022.[20]
Career statistics
- As of match played 13 August 2021
Club | Season | League | National cup[lower-alpha 1] | League cup[lower-alpha 2] | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Oxford United | 2018–19[21] | League One | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
2019–20[7] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
2020–21[9] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
Oxford City (loan) | 2019–20[2] | National League South | 3 | 0 | ― | ― | ― | 3 | 0 | |||
Havant & Waterlooville | 2020–21[2] | National League South | 1 | 0 | ― | ― | 1[lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
Career total | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
- Includes FA Cup
- Includes EFL Cup
- Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
- Appearance in FA Trophy
References
- "Notification of shirt numbers: Oxford United" (PDF). English Football League. p. 52. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
- Nico Jones at Soccerway. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- "Nico Jones". www.brentfordfc.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- "Nico Jones – Defender – Under 21 Team". Oxford United. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- "Nine New Scholars at Oxford United". www.oufc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- "Nico Jones Signs First Professional Contract". www.oufc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- "Games played by Nico Jones in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- "Good Day For Goodrham". www.oufc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- "Games played by Nico Jones in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- "Nico Jones Joins Oxford City On Loan". www.oufc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- "U's Announce Retained List". www.oufc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- Nico Jones at Soccerbase
- "Nico Jones joins Brentford B". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- "Brentford B squad update". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- "Match Report: Brentford B win London Senior Cup on penalties". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
- "Nico Jones: Step by Step". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
- "Match Report: Brentford XI 3 Leicester City U23s 0". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
- "Ireland U18: Reid names squad for Sweden tournament". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- "Ireland U18: Ireland held to a draw by hosts Sweden". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- "Nico Jones makes Ireland Under-20 debut". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
- "Games played by Nico Jones in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 November 2019.