Joey Jones posthumously recognised for Liverpool championship win

The late Joey Jones was among 14 former Liverpool players to have retrospective league championship winners’ medals awarded to them by the club.

Jones, who died in July, was posthumously recognised for his 13 appearances in the 1975-76 season.

The Llandudno-born left-back earned 72 caps for Wales, starting and ending his career at Wrexham after spells at Anfield, Chelsea and Huddersfield.

Jones played 100 times in a trophy-laden three years at Liverpool, winning two European Cups, a UEFA Cup and a league title in three years.

Swap deal

He joined Liverpool after a swap deal to Sheffield United involving Len Badger and £100,000 fell through, in 1975. He missed out on a league championship medal in his first season having not made enough appearances but the greatest year of his career was to follow.

Jones was an integral part of another title-winning side, lost an FA Cup final to Manchester United before becoming the first Welshman to win the European Cup.

Alan Kennedy, David Fairclough, David Hodgson, Jan Molby, Paul Walsh, Ronny Rosenthal, Terry McDermott, John Wark, Chris Lawler, Alec Lindsay, Colin Irwin, Sammy Lee and Steve Heighway were also recognised for contributions to league championships in seasons when they did not meet the English Football League qualifying criteria.

Honour

“It was an emotional night for many and it’s a real honour to have been able to source and present league championship winner’s medals to our Forever Reds,” said Liverpool’s chief legal and external affairs officer Jonathan Bamber.

“Their role in winning one, or in (Wark’s) case two, of our 20 league titles deserve a medal not only to mark their achievement but also for playing such a significant part in our club’s decorated history for which we are immensely grateful.”