Jodi Jones (footballer) explained

Jodi Jones
Fullname:Jodi Felice Jones[1]
Birth Date:22 October 1997[2]
Birth Place:Bow, England
Height:1.77 m
Position:Winger
Currentclub:Notts County
Clubnumber:10
Youthclubs1:Arsenal
Youthclubs2:West Ham United
Youthyears3:2009–2015
Youthclubs3:Dagenham & Redbridge
Years1:2015–2016
Clubs1:Dagenham & Redbridge
Caps1:35
Goals1:4
Years2:2016
Clubs2:Coventry City (loan)
Caps2:6
Goals2:0
Years3:2016–2022
Clubs3:Coventry City
Caps3:70
Goals3:7
Years4:2022–2023
Clubs4:Oxford United
Caps4:5
Goals4:0
Years5:2023
Clubs5:Notts County (loan)
Caps5:16
Goals5:0
Years6:2023–
Caps6:38
Goals6:5
Nationalyears1:2022–
Nationalteam1:Malta
Nationalcaps1:10
Nationalgoals1:0
Club-Update:21:17, 3 April 2024 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:22:15, 23 May 2023 (UTC)

Jodi Felice Jones (born 22 October 1997) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for club Notts County. Born in England, he plays for the Malta national team.

Club career

Dagenham & Redbridge

Jones was born in Bow, London, and started his career with the renowned local junior side Senrab.[3] He later joined the youth system at Dagenham & Redbridge at under-13 level and in the summer of 2014 he started a two-year scholarship with the club.[3] He usually credits Ivo Drury for his early development, seeing him as a mentor.[4] In November 2014, despite still being a first-year scholar, he was handed a squad number with the first team ahead of the league fixture against Bury, after he had impressed in an Essex Senior Cup tie win over Concord Rangers.[5] However, he did not make the bench and was not included in the first-team squad until January 2015, when he was an unused substitute against Cambridge United.He made his first-team debut in February 2015, as a last-minute substitute for Alex Jakubiak in a 0–0 draw with Portsmouth.[6] In the process he became the youngest Dagenham & Redbridge player to appear in a league game, beating the previous record set by Dominic Green.[6] In March 2015, he signed his first professional contract on a two-year deal until 2017.[7] In April 2015, Jones made his full debut for the Daggers in a 4–0 home win over Accrington Stanley, scoring in the final minute with his first goal for the club.[8]

Coventry City

On 18 March 2016, Jones joined Coventry City on an emergency loan deal with the view to a permanent deal at the end of the season.[9] After a successful loan spell, Jones signed a four-year deal with the Sky Blues on 10 May 2016 for an undisclosed fee, which began on 1 July 2016.[10] He scored his first goal for Coventry in an EFL Trophy tie against Northampton Town on 4 October 2016.[11] He came on as a substitute as Coventry won the 2017 EFL Trophy final.

On the first day of the 2017–18 league season against Notts County he scored a hat-trick in a 3–0 win.[12] Later on that season, he picked up an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament, which saw him sidelined for the rest of the 2017–18 season and all of the 2018–19 season.

Oxford United

On 29 July 2022, Jones signed a one-year contract, with the option for a further year, with Oxford United.[13]

Notts County

On 26 January 2023, Jones signed for National League club Notts County on loan until the end of the season.[14] He scored the winning goal in the last minute of extra time against Boreham Wood in the National League play-off semi-final.[15] Following the club's promotion with a penalty shoot-out victory over Chesterfield,[16] he was offered permanent terms;[17] he signed a permanent two-year deal with Notts County on 23 May 2023.[18]

On 13 January 2024, Notts County played Grimsby Town in a 5–5 draw. Jones assisted four goals in the match, making him the first player to assist four goals (top four tiers) since Harry Kane against Southampton in September 2020.[19] Having assisted six in total across the month, equalling the league's season record of seventeen, Jones was awarded the EFL League Two Player of the Month award.[20] In total, Jones contributed 24 assists throughout the season to break the record for most assists in an English professional league during a season which was previously held jointly by Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry with 20.[21] His performances throughout the season saw him included in the League Two Team of the Season as well as being named as the Player of the Season for League Two and for his club Notts County.

International career

Jones was born in England and is of Maltese descent through his father.[22] On 9 September 2022, he had his first call up to the Malta national team for a set of UEFA Nations League matches.[23] He debuted with Malta in a 2–1 UEFA Nations League loss to Estonia on 23 September 2022.[24]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dagenham & Redbridge2014–15League Two8100000081
2015–16League Two273301010323
Total354301010404
Coventry City (loan)2015–16League One6060
Coventry City2016–17League One341201081452
2017–18League Two195101010225
2018–19League One81100010101
2019–20League One0010001020
2020–21Championship00000000
2021–22Championship902010120
Total7677030111978
Oxford United2022–23League One5010101080
Notts County (loan)2022–23National League160000021181
Notts County2023–24League Two385201000415
Career total176161306015220418

International

National teamYearAppsGoals
Malta202240
202360
Total100

Honours

Coventry City

2016–17[25]

Notts County

2023[16]

Individual

January 2024[20]

2023–24[26]

2023–24 League Two[29]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Football League Retained List . The Football League . 12 June 2015 . 16 June 2015.
  2. Web site: Dagenham & Redbridge . FootballSquads . 11 March 2015.
  3. Web site: Academy Squad . Dagenham & Redbridge F.C . 10 September 2014.
  4. Web site: Des Buckingham promises to bring attacking football to Oxford United . 18 November 2023 .
  5. News: Young Dagger Given First Team Squad Number . Dagenham & Redbridge F.C . 28 November 2014 . 17 February 2015.
  6. News: Jones Hungry For More . Dagenham & Redbridge F.C . 12 February 2015 . 17 February 2015.
  7. News: Academy Youngster Given Pro Deal . Dagenham & Redbridge F.C . 14 March 2015 . 2 April 2015.
  8. News: Dagenham & Redbridge 4–0 Accrington Stanley . BBC Sport . 25 April 2015 . 19 June 2015 .
  9. News: Coventry City sign Jodi Jones on an emergency loan with a view to a permanent deal . Coventry City F.C. Official Site . 18 March 2016 . 18 March 2016.
  10. News: Coventry City sign Dagenham and Redbridge winger Jodi Jones on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee . Coventry City Official Site . 10 May 2016 . 10 May 2016.
  11. News: Cobblers exit Checkatrade Trophy as much-changed team is beaten by Coventry City . northamptonchron.co.uk . 4 October 2016 . 5 October 2016.
  12. Web site: Coventry 3–0 Notts County . BBC . 5 August 2017 . 5 August 2017.
  13. Web site: Jodi Jones Signs For The U's . 29 July 2022 . www.oufc.co.uk.
  14. Web site: Signing: Jodi Jones. www.nottscountyfc.co.uk. 26 January 2023. 26 January 2023.
  15. Web site: Notts County 3–2 Boreham Wood: Magpies win extra-time thriller to reach promotion final. BBC Sport. 7 May 2023. 19 May 2023.
  16. Web site: Chesterfield 2–2 Notts County (3–4 on penalties): Magpies seal promotion in shootout. BBC Sport. 13 May 2023. 19 May 2023.
  17. Web site: Retained list 2023. www.nottscountyfc.co.uk. 19 May 2023. 19 May 2023.
  18. Web site: Signing: Jodi Jones . www.nottscountyfc.co.uk . 23 May 2023 . 23 May 2023.
  19. Web site: Grimsby Town 5–5 Notts County. www.nottscountyfc.co.uk . 13 January 2024 . 13 January 2024.
  20. Web site: POTM: Jodi Jones. www.nottscountyfc.co.uk. 9 February 2024. 9 February 2024.
  21. News: Notts' Jones on 'amazing' assists record and award . BBC Sport . 26 April 2024 . 1 May 2024.
  22. Web site: Former Coventry City forward Jodi Jones set to be called up by Malta. Andy. Turner. 9 September 2022. CoventryLive.
  23. Web site: Roberts . James . Oxford United winger Jodi Jones called-up by Malta for Estonia and Isreal (sic) games . Oxford Mail . 12 September 2022 . 20 September 2022.
  24. Web site: Estonia vs. Malta – 23 September 2022 – Soccerway. int.soccerway.com.
  25. Web site: Coventry City 2–1 Oxford United. BBC Sport. 2 April 2017. 2 April 2017.
  26. News: See who made the EFL Team of the Season line-ups . EFL . 14 April 2024 . 14 April 2024.
  27. News: Crysencio Summerville named the Sky Bet Championship Player of the Season . EFL . 14 April 2024 . 14 April 2024.
  28. News: Awards: Nemane and Jones . Notts County FC . 20 April 2024 . 30 April 2024.
  29. News: PFA League Two Team of the Year . PFA . 20 August 2024 . 21 August 2024.