Mark Jones (footballer, born 1933) facts for kids
Jones in 1957
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 15 June 1933 | ||
| Place of birth | Wombwell, West Riding of Yorkshire, England | ||
| Date of death | 6 February 1958 (aged 24) | ||
| Place of death | Munich, Bavaria, West Germany | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-half | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Manchester United | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1950–1958 | Manchester United | 103 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Mark Jones (born June 15, 1933 – died February 6, 1958) was a talented English footballer. He played as a centre-half for Manchester United. Mark was one of eight Manchester United players who sadly lost their lives in the Munich air disaster. He was born in Wombwell, a town near Barnsley, England. Mark was a key player for United in the 1950s. He helped the team win two League Championship titles.
Mark Jones's Football Journey
Mark Jones joined Manchester United as a young apprentice in 1948. This was right after he finished school. He also worked as an apprentice bricklayer for a while.
He played his first two senior games for United in the 1950–51 season. He was only 17 years old then. By the 1955–56 season, he became a regular player in the first team. He helped United win the league title that year.
Mark won another league title medal the very next year. This showed how important he was to the team. He missed the 1957 FA Cup Final because of an eye injury. However, he still got his second league title medal that season. He also helped United reach the semi-finals of the European Cup.
In total, Mark played 120 games for Manchester United. He scored one goal during his career. He was once chosen for the England national team squad. Many people believed he would have played for England if he had not died in Munich. His career happened at the same time as another great player, Billy Wright. This made it harder for Mark to get a spot in the England team.
Remembering Mark Jones
Mark Jones is buried in Wombwell, which was his birthplace. He had moved away from Wombwell in the early 1950s. He moved to Flixton after becoming a professional footballer. For the last two years of his life, he lived in Firswood, Stretford.
His teammates often called him "Dan Archer". This was a funny nickname. It was because he liked to smoke a pipe, just like a character named Dan Archer from a radio show called The Archers.
Mark was shown in a 2011 BBC film called United. The actor Thomas Howes played him. However, the film mistakenly showed Mark as the team captain. In reality, Roger Byrne was the captain of the United team at that time.
