Jones: Vincent Peter (Vinnie)

1989-1990 (Player Details)

Midfield

Born: Watford: 05-01-1965

Debut: v Middlesbrough (h) (substitute): 23-08-1989

5’11” 11st 10 lb (1993)

#40 in 100 Greatest LUFC Players Ever

Jones was born in Watford and his father was a gamekeeper. He started his football career in 1984 at GM Vauxhall Conference side Wealdstone, during which time he combined playing football with being a hod-carrier. Nororiety seemed to follow Jones from his early days almost as soon as his potential as a ball-winning midfielderwas discovered in parks football. He played one season in second-level Swedish club IFK Holmsund in 1986 and helped them win the series. Later that year he moved to Wimbledon for a £10,000 fee and was sent off three times in his early days with them, including in a friendly on the Isle of Wight. He was part of the 'Crazy Gang' team that won the FA Cup in 1988, arguably the club's greatest achievement. In his first spell with Wimbledon he scored nine goals in seventy-seven League games. Dubbed ‘Psycho’ by the media, in June 1989, he moved to Leeds for £650,000 and arrived at Elland Road with his bad-boy image in one of the most talked about transfers of the season. During his season at Leeds United, he proved that he could prosper and play well without the illegal side of his game, and under the stewardship of Howard Wilkinson only received three yellow cards in the whole season. He became a Leeds cult figure and his enormous throw-ins were a regular source of goals as he played his part in the rise of Leeds United from the Second Division to the First Division, and added a Second Division Championship medal to his collection. The close-season signing of Gary McAllister from Leicester City saw the writing on the wall for Jones and he only featured in one game in the top flight before he moved to Sheffield United on 11th September 1990 for £700,000, after fifteen happy months at Leeds. After scoring twice in thirty-five games at Bramall Lane, the following August saw him move to Chelsea for £575,000. He scored four times in forty-two games at Stamford Bridge before completing the circle when moving back to Wimbledon again in September 1992 for £700,000. In his second spell he scored twelve goals in one hundred and seventy-seven games making it over two hundred and fifty games in his two spells for the Dons. He briefly became player/coach of Queens Park Rangers in March 1998 after being transferred for £500,000. When overlooked for the vacant post of manager at Loftus Road, he announced his retirement from the game in June 1999. He only scored once in nine games during the brief stay at Loftus Road. While a footballer, he became quickly infamous for his brutal "hard man" image, which frequently brought much criticism of his style of play. He was sent off twelve times in his career, including once while playing for Wales, and once he was booked after only five seconds of play. In one notorious incident he distracted Paul Gascoigne by grabbing his testicles. During another match, he ended the career of Tottenham Hotspur defender Gary Stevens with a vicious tackle. However, He also was the presenter of the infamous “Soccer’s Hard Men” video released in 1992, which featured archived footage of himself and many other "hard men" of the game, and included advice for budding "hard men". After the release of the video, Jones received a £20,000 fine from the FA for "bringing the game into disrepute." A high point in his football career was when he was chosen to play international football for Wales. Despite his Welsh surname, the qualifying relationship was his grandfather on his mother’s side, who came from Ruthin, in NorthWales. He earned nine caps and even captained the side. Vinnie has stated that he would eventually like to return to football, possibly with Leeds United. Jones told Yorkshire Radio "I will come back without a doubt, Leeds fans gave me so much and it's a club very close to my heart." He has carved out an acting career based on his “hard man” image, with several successful box-office hits starting with “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”, and has appeared on many adverts and featured in many media stories, many controversial.