Obituary to former Leamington player

DAVID RICHARD JONES Born Onllwyn, Wales on 18 January 1946 - died 15 October 2008.

David joined Derby County as a goalkeeper in July 1965 but had to fight for a place alongside former England international Reg Matthews and also Colin Boulton however signed professional forms a year later making three first team appearances however new manager Brian Clough released David.

He joined non league Burton Albion and played 19 games in 1967/68 season before moving to Newport County on a three month trial which sadly, did not work out for him and he was transferred to Rugby Town in July 1969. By 1973 Rugby were in serious trouble, manager Jimmy Knox left to join AP Leamington and at the end of the season, Town disbanded so Mr. Knox went back to sign eight players for the Brakes who opened 1973/74 with a home win against Wellingborough Town by the odd goal in five.

Leamington reached the final of the Southern League cup losing the first leg in Bromsgrove by the only goal of the game but at the Windmill ground in front of 843 fans, Brakes won with goals from Armstrong, Lee and a Tombs own goal and David collected a winners medal. Leigh Edwards in the Official History of the Southern League states Jimmy Knox brought several key players with him from Rugby, including top scorer Norman Foster, goalkeeper David Jones, Doug Griffiths, John Brady and Steve Lee. There was plenty of competition at the Windmill with Dave Garratt and Vic Cowley in 1974/75 as the club climbed into third place at the end of that season, the following one, Brakes were promoted runners-up to Redditch United, both David's kept goal along with John Davies and Keith Batchelor.

Our first season in the Premier division, David's last in Leamington colours, saw John Davis, David Garratt, Pete Garnell and David J after that goalkeeping slot. In the close season, David moved across the Midlands to join Atherstone Town - the side who robbed him of a Birmingham Senior cup winner's medal in 1975 as the Brakes lost by the only goal of the game.

Now let David's friend Robert (Bob) Bordicott take up the story as Bob started work at Massey Ferguson at Banner Lane in Coventry towards the end of 1968 and immediately struck up a rapport with David who had been there a year. They played in the Inter Departmental football competition together and these games were fiercely contested and usually a team from the Assembly Line (Track) would win it. Bob recalls that in 1970, they reached the final and came up against a team from the "Track" with the game going in to extra time and in the last minute David made a stunning save to ensure the match finished level with each side holding the trophy for six months. Their team's goal was scored by future Brakes legend Norman Foster which goes to show the high standard of those matches. Also lunch times at work, there would be some seriously competitive 5 a side games between ourselves from the office when we had some great times with David always playing outfield and giving a running commentary on the match, he was a more than useful player.

After 14 years at Massey, David returned to his native South Wales in 1982 to join the company he first worked for after leaving school this time cleaning and screening coal from the open cast sites but was made redundant after working there 9 years. He joined a firm making street and park furniture and in his own words became a "white van man" delivering all over England and Wales, on one of these trips he suffered his first heart attack and was off work for several months in 1992/1993. He returned to work in the factory but had another attack which eventually resulted in a quadruple heart by-pass operation, he made an excellent recovery and returned to work, he also did some football coaching with a couple of clubs in the area even playing in pre-season friendlies. He then went to work at a Volvo dealer/garage in Swansea but suffered further problems with his heart and spent some time in hospital. David took early retirement in 2003, his heart was getting better but an arthritic knee restricted his mobility.

After being out of touch for nearly 20 years because Bob bought a newsagent working long hours and losing contact with many friends, Bob sent David all the information about the Brakes run to Colchester in the FA cup and the phones were buzzing again with Bob sending information on a regular basis and in return would come copies of press cutting of his playing days. Bob used to watch David play for Rugby and remembers one match at Kettering where David had to go to hospital with a broken finger and Jimmy Knox took over in goal.

The funeral was at Coelbren Church, the village where David and his family lived until about 18 months ago when they moved the short distance to Seven Sisters and on the 24th, it proved how highly people thought of David as it was packed but there appeared to be twice as many outside who could not get in. Bob travelled with two friends, ex colleagues of David's at Massey Ferguson and he saw Billy Thomas ex Rugby Town & AP Leamington and his family there. Bob and his family had arranged a trip to South Wales next March to stay with David. 62 is such a ridiculously young age in these days.

We offer our sincere condolences from everyone at Leamington Football Club to his family of wife Kath, daughter Hannah who is 28 and son David 26 and his many, many friends at this sad time.

I am sure that our thoughts this coming Christmas will be tuned to the village of Seven Sisters. Rest in Peace David, you have earned it.

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