3/1 To Win
David Jones is just one of a number of players to have been schooled at Manchester United before going on to enjoy a successful career in the game.
After coming through the ranks at Old Trafford and being on the books from a very young age, he had hopes of establishing himself as a regular for the Red Devils.
However, with United at the peak of their powers it was a mammoth challenge to edge past their superstars at Sir Alex Ferguson’s disposal.
After spells out on loan at Preston North End and then NEC Nijmegen in Holland, Jones had a thirst for first-team football.
He didn’t want his career to pass him by.
In November 2006 he joined Derby on loan until January 2007, when the deal would become a permanent one for a fee of just over £1 Million.
The midfielder went on to star for the Rams as they sealed promotion to the top flight, which was secured thanks to a 1-0 Play-Off Final success against West Bromwich Albion.
Jones, who turned 36 earlier this month, has surpassed the 400 appearances mark and made six appearances for Oldham Athletic in th e 2019/20 season.
He left Derby in the summer of 2008, after making 48 appearances and scoring seven times.
Jones joined Wolves on a free transfer, before having spells at Wigan Athletic, Blackburn Rovers and Burnley ahead of moving to Sheffield Wednesday at the start of the 2016/17 season for three years.
Recalling his time at Derby, he says making the switch from United in order to play regular football was a key move in his career.
He told dcfc.co.uk in 2017: “Overall, I really enjoyed it at Derby.
“When I heard that the club wanted to sign me – Billy Davies was in charge and I had played under him at Preston - I saw it as a real opportunity to come and play first-team football regularly.
“It was a huge decision to leave United as I had been there since I was 10 years old.
“I had been with the first-team on pre-season tours and been out on loan. Once they accepted an offer from Derby, you take that as a point where it’s time to move on.
“I wanted to play first-team football anyway and in my early 20s I had a desire to make a name for myself. I felt it was the right time to make the step; it was difficult but one that I was happy to make.”
Looking back, Jones recalls being part of a Derby squad with a balance of youth and experience.
Jones admitted that Derby had an uncanny knack of seeing games out rather than being at their vintage best – but regards the team spirit as a vital factor in sealing promotion.
He said: “I knew straight away that there was quality in the squad and, as you need with every successful side, a really good team spirit too.
“We had some good young players and some experienced lads as well. Giles Barnes springs to mind when you mention the young lads that we had, he was a great talent. The blend was really good for us and the team was very competitive.
“We had the ability to dig in and see games out. It wasn’t a vintage performance in the 2007 play-off final but we did what we needed to.”
