Steve Jones (Northern Irish footballer)

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Steve Jones (Northern Irish footballer) : biography

25 October 1976 –

Leigh RMI

After Chorley were relegated at the end of the 1998–99 season, Jones signed for fellow Northern Premier League side Leigh RMI in August 1999. This came after he impressed RMI manager Steve Waywell in the final game of the previous season against Chorley at Hilton Park. He had a successful first season with The Railwaymen, scoring 18 goals in 40 games that helped RMI gain promotion to the Football Conference.

On 19 August 2000, Jones started in Leigh’s first game in the Conference, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 defeat to fellow newly promoted side Dagenham & Redbridge. He played in the 3–0 FA Cup first round defeat to Millwall at The Den on 19 November. On 3 March 2001, Jones scored the first hat-trick of his career in the 6–2 league win against Nuneaton Borough. He finished the season with 21 goals in all competitions, these went a long way to firing RMI to a fifth place finish in the Conference, the club’s highest ever league finish. At the Conference Annual General Meeting on 2 June, Jones was named in the Football Conference Team of the Year, as voted for by the league’s managers.

Jones attracted interest from a number of clubs in the close season, Morecambe being the first to make a bid for the Northern Irishman in late May. The Shrimps had bids of £30,000 and £45,000 rejected by RMI. Tranmere Rovers were the next club to take an interest in Jones and manager Dave Watson took him on trial at the beginning of July. However, it was Crewe Alexandra who won the race for Jones’ signature after manager Dario Gradi persuaded him to sign on 3 July. He signed for Crewe on a three-year contract in a deal worth £75,000 to Leigh, and £75,000 more to come after 60 appearances.

Crewe Alexandra

Jones made his debut for Crewe in the league game against Manchester City on 25 August 2001. He replaced Rodney Jack in the 82nd minute of the 5–2 defeat at Maine Road. On 27 October, he made his first start for the club in the 1–0 defeat to Sheffield United at Brammall Lane. Despite being a regular goalscorer in the reserves, Jones found first-team opportunities scarce in his first season at Crewe, so it was decided he would join Third Division side Rochdale on a month’s loan in February 2002. He returned from his loan in April and featured in two of Crewe’s remaining games in the First Division, coming on as a substitute in the away defeats to Gillingham and Wimbledon.

Rochdale (loan)

Jones made his debut for Rochdale on 5 February 2002, playing the full 90 minutes in the 5–4 win against York City at Spotland Stadium. He scored his first goal for The Dale on 23 February, scoring the opening goal in the 2–1 defeat at Scunthorpe United. On 7 March, Rochdale manager John Hollins confirmed that Jones would stay at the club for at least another month, but the deal would involve a 24-hour recall option for Crewe. He made his final appearance for the club on 26 March in the 3–1 defeat to Plymouth Argyle, he came off the bench in 75th minute replacing Kevin Townson.

Following Crewe’s relegation to the Second Division, Jones started to feature in the first-team more prominently at the start of the 2002–03 season. He made his first appearance of the season on 13 August, replacing Dave Brammer in the 60th minute of the 3–0 defeat to Notts County at Gresty Road. Jones scored his first goals for Crewe in the league match against Queens Park Rangers, he netted both goals in the 2–0 win on 5 October. He followed that up by scoring the third goal in the 4–1 win at Stockport County a week later. He scored a brace against Colchester United in January 2003 and another against Northampton Town in February, these went towards the 11 goals in all competitions he scored that helped The Railwaymen to a second place finish in the Second Division, gaining them promotion back to the First Division.

Prior to the 2003–04 season, Jones signed a new three-year contract with the club that would take him through to the end of the 2005–06 season. He started in Crewe’s first game back in the First Division on 9 August, playing the full 90 minutes in the 3–1 defeat against Wimbledon at Selhurst Park. Three days later, he scored his first goal of the season in the 2–0 League Cup first round win against Wrexham. A brace against West Ham United on 17 March 2004 took Jones’ tally for the season to 16, this coupled with the 20 goals scored by strike partner Dean Ashton helped Crewe to an 18th place finish in the league. His efforts throughout the season earned him the Supporters Player of the Year award.