Dave Jones, born on August 17, 1956 in Liverpool, began his playing career at his hometown club Everton in 1974.
A defender, who represented England at youth & U21 levels, he made 86 League appearances for the Toffees before joining Coventry City in 1979.
Injuries played havoc with his time at Highfield Road so, in 1981, he went to Hong Kong to play for Seiko SA before returning to England to end his professional career at Preston North End.
He went on to become Player-Assistant Manager at Southport before following his manager at Haig Avenue, Bryan Griffiths, to become the new management team at fellow Northern Premier League side Mossley.
In 1990 Jones left Griffiths and Seel Park to become youth coach at Stockport County.
Later becoming assistant to Danny Bergara, he went on to replace the Uruguayan as County's manager in 1995.
His first season full saw the Hatters shock his former club, and then-FA Cup holders, Everton in the 3rd round. A 2-2 draw at Goodison was followed by a pulsating Edgeley Park replay the Toffees shaded 3-2. 9th place in the new Division Two followed.
The 96/97 season saw Jones's County team exceed all expectations. The Hatters became the first team from the bottom two divisions to defeat four Premiership teams in the League Cup, with victories over Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United, Southampton and the away leg against Middlesbrough in the League Cup semi-final. Unfortunately Boro had won the first leg 2-0 at Edgeley Park and so denied County an appearance in the Wembley Final by the narrowest of margins.
Success also came in the League and one of the Hatters' greatest-ever teams eventually finished second to Bury; the progress in all three cup competitions most certainly cost County the title.
In the summer of 1997 Dave left Edgeley Park to take over at Southampton. He led the Saints to 12th in 1998 and 17th in 1999 before well publicised, yet totally unfounded, rumours saw him controversially suspended by Saints' chairman Rupert Lowe.
A year later, he took over at Wolves. His first full season saw the Molyneux side challenge at the top of the table for most of the season but falter at the end.
The following season again saw Wolves finish in the playoffs, but Jones guided his side to victory at the Millennium Stadium and gain promotion to the Premier League.
With little cash to spend and injuries to important players, Wolves finished bottom, Jones's only relegation as a manager.
After a poor start to the following season, Dave Jones was sacked in November 2004.
May 2005 saw him appointed manager of Cardiff City where he began rebuilding the ailing Bluebirds. Cardiff's crippling debts forced Jones to sell his better players yet he still kept his side in the mid-table comfort zone then, in 2008, he produced more Cup magic by leading the Welsh side all the way to Wembley for the 2008 FA Cup Final which they lost, narrowly, 1-0 to Portsmouth.
In 2008-09 Cardiff missed out on a play-off spot by just one goal but, now bedded in at their magnificent new stadium, hopes are high that Jones can now lead them into the promised land of the Premiership.
