Jodi Jones: From Tears to Triumph
Introduction
Jodi Jones has experienced a rollercoaster of emotions in his football career, from tears of despair to tears of joy. After three anterior cruciate ligament injuries threatened to derail his career, the 25-year-old winger is now preparing to face the country he grew up supporting – England – with Malta. This is the story of his journey from tears to triumph.
Growing Up with England
Jones has always been passionate about England, having grown up with England kits and collecting the Happy Meal figures. He remembers watching the 2006 World Cup quarter-final against Portugal and crying his eyes out when they lost on penalties.
Choosing Malta and Dropping Down to Non-League Football
Choosing to play for Malta, ranked 172 in the world, and dropping down to play non-league football with Notts County last season has been the rebirth of the winger. He was once coveted by Leeds United and many others before undergoing the first of three major knee operations in 2017.
The Third Injury: Running Out of Tears
The third time he suffered a knee injury, Jones was determined to stay strong. He shook his head in disbelief and couldn’t even cry, despite having cried so much in the two years before that he had “run out of tears”. He was haunted by the thought of becoming another one of those people who could have done something great but didn’t because of an injury.
The 897 Days of Setbacks and Heartbreak
The three operations saw him sidelined for a total of 897 days, which meant missing 130 games, between November 2017 and August 2021. 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.
The Moment Everything Changed: A Last-Minute Winner at Meadow Lane
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. The image of Jones thumping his shot home from the top left edge of the box at Meadow Lane then wheeling around to race downfield, pulling his shirt over his head and screaming with euphoria sums up all he had been through and is proof of what he is capable of.
Belief in Himself: Doing What He Did as a Kid
Jones has crazy belief in himself and knew that he could do what he did as a kid – score goals – even at Wembley. He thought to himself that there are 20 outfield players, so why him? Why did he score the goal that took them to Wembley? He believes everything happens for a reason and all those tough times were wiped out in one moment.
A Special Moment with Maddison
Jones remembers when he was at Coventry, his former team-mate James Maddison had unbelievable belief that he was the best player. When Jones got injured for the third time, Maddison sent him a signed shirt, one from him and Jamie Vardy, just to try cheer him up. At Malta’s Ta’ Qali National Stadium, Jones hopes to thank Maddison for ensuring he never let go of that belief.
Conclusion
Jodi Jones has experienced a rollercoaster of emotions in his football career, from tears of despair to tears of joy. After three anterior cruciate ligament injuries threatened to derail his career, the 25-year-old winger is now preparing to face the country he grew up supporting – England – with Malta. This is the story of his journey from tears to triumph.