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Former Coventry City favourite faces biggest moment of career against Gareth Southgate’s England
Former Coventry City favourite will achieve a high point of his stunted career when he lines up against England tonight.
The one-time Sky Blues star who endured three consecutive cruciate knee ligament injuries to halt his progress in its tracks has battled back to fitness, enjoying promotion success with Notts County and earning international recognition with Malta – the Mediterranean minnows hosting Garth Southgate’s Three Lions in the Euro 2024 qualifiers this evening.
The 25-year-old winger feared his playing days were over during his time at City but he is now set for the biggest game of his life against the country where he was born, raised and has always passionately supported.
“I had England kits growing up and remember going to McDonalds to get the Happy Meals and all the little figures,” he told BBC Sport. “I’ve still got them now.
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“I have so many memories of England, I remember when they lost to Portugal on penalties [in 2006] – I was crying my eyes out.”
Jones, who last month helped his club Notts County to promotion from the National League after an epic battle at the top with Wrexham, was only eight when he watched that World Cup quarter-final exit in despair.
Seventeen years on, he is set to line up against that same national team he grew up cheering for – and still follows “even though I play for Malta now”.
However, three serious knee injuries – which saw him go 1,908 days without starting a league game – nearly derailed everything.
Choosing to play for Malta, ranked 172 in the world, and “risking” dropping down to play non-league football with Notts County last season has been the rebirth of the winger, who was once coveted by Leeds United and many others before undergoing the first of three major knee operations in 2017.
“The third time it happened my mentality was strong from the first two,” he recalled after he hurt his right knee, having suffered the injury twice before on his left.
“When I watch the video back I should have been screaming in agony, rolling around, because it was worse than the first two. My mind was telling me I was OK, I was jumping around in the kitchen telling my partner I was fine, that it might be a tiny bit different. My agent then rang me in tears to say I’d done it again.
“I just couldn’t believe it, I shook my head. I couldn’t even cry. The two years before I cried so much, I’d run out of tears.”
He went more than five years between starting league matches, from the day he was first hurt in Coventry City’s sky blue in League Two to featuring for Notts County in the National League after being sent out on loan by Oxford United.
A last-minute extra-time winner for Notts in their play-off semi-final against Boreham Wood to send the Magpies to the Wembley promotion final was his first goal in 1,662 days.
Remembering the moment, Jones said: “I just thought ‘why me?’ There are 20 outfield players, why me? Why did I score the goal that took us to Wembley? I just thought everything happens for a reason, all those tough times I had were wiped out in one moment.”
And, when the promotion showdown against Chesterfield ended 2-2 after extra time, Jones helped seal County’s English Football League return by scoring in the penalty shootout.
Jones, who was rewarded for his play-off heroics with a permanent move to Notts, smiles when talking about again playing with the same self-assurance he saw from former Coventry team-mate, and international rival, James Maddison.
As injury stalled Jones’ career, Maddison’s went on to flourish at Leicester City, earning him a World Cup call-up with England last year.
“I remember when I was at Coventry, the belief that guy had that he was the best player was unbelievable,” said Jones, who was born and raised in east London.
“You could say it’s arrogance, but he knew how good he was. He’d go on the pitch and he’d be like ‘I’m the best player’. And I believe that when I play as well, because if you don’t believe then you are already 50% away from achieving what you want.”
At Malta’s intimate Ta’ Qali National Stadium, with its modest capacity of less than 17,000, Jones now hopes to thank Maddison for ensuring he never let go of that belief.
“When I got injured for the third time he sent me a signed shirt, one from him and Jamie Vardy, just to try cheer me up,” said Jones.
“It was a little gesture from him and that helped me a lot. He kept telling me, like all my friends did, that I would be back stronger.
“To be back on the pitch and to swap shirts and just remember him telling me I’d be back will be a very special moment.”
What do you think about Jodi’s achievements since leaving City? Have your say in the comments section.
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