Full name Steven Gary Jones Position Forward Years Team Height 1.85 m | Playing position Role Footballer Name Steve Jones | |
Date of birth (1970-03-17) 17 March 1970 (age 45) | ||
Steven Gary "Steve" Jones (born 17 March 1970) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker.
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Career
Jones started his footballing career at non-League clubs Basildon United and then Billericay Town. He had been working at a local soap factory and earning £250 per week before moving to West Ham who increased his wages to £400 per week.
He moved to West Ham United in November 1992 for £22,500 rising to £45,000 based on appearances, and made his first senior appearance for the East London club in a reserve fixture against Southampton on 17 November 1992. He made his first-team debut away to Cosenza Calcio 1914 in the Anglo-Italian Cup on 8 December 1992, and set up the only goal of the game for Clive Allen. His first goal for the club came against Barnsley on 6 February 1993, ten minutes into his full Football League First Division debut.
Jones made just three Premier League starts and five appearances as a substitute during the 1993–94 campaign before joining Bournemouth in October 1994.
In January 1996, after a successful spell at the south coast club, West Ham manager Harry Redknapp again brought the player back to Upton Park for a fee of £200,000, with Mark Watson moving to Dean Court. During his second spell with West Ham he was partnered with Mike Newell as twin strikers. With the pair both failing to score goals manager Redknapp bought Paul Kitson and John Hartson to provide the goals needed to keep West Ham from relegation and Jones was allowed to leave. He joined Charlton Athletic in 1997 for £400,000. He played in their dramatic win over Sunderland in the 1998 play-off final, winning 7–6 on penalties after a 4–4 draw. He had been nominated as the eighth penalty taker, if required.
After another short spell at Bournemouth, Jones moved to Bristol City, for transfer fee of £425,000 and then had loan spells at Brentford, Southend United and Wycombe Wanderers He became player-coach for Isthmian League team Hornchurch in June 2002. Jones was forced to retire from professional football due to injury.
Personal life
Jones is the founder of Langdon Pumas Youth Football Club, and has occasionally played for Rod Stewart's celebrity football team since 2007.