JONES, Clifford William (1957-78)

Position: Winger
Height: 5ft 7ins
Weight: 10st 7lbs
Born: Swansea, Glamorgan, 7 February, 1935
Signed from Swansea Town February 1958
Transferred to Fulham October 1968
Also played for: Swansea Town, Fulham, Kings Lynn, Bedford Town, Wealdstone, Cambridge City, Wingate, Wales

Spurs Record:
Debut: 22 February, 1958, v Arsenal (FL) (a) drew 4-4
Appearances: League 314(4), FA Cup 35(4), League Cup 2, Europe 19, Others
Goals: League 135, FA Cup 16, League Cup 1, Europe 7, Others

There were the times he skimmed across the White Hart Lane mudbath of a pitch as fast as a top class sprinter, ball at his feet, perfectly under control, defenders trailing in his wake.

Then there were those soaring leaps as he came hurtling in from the wing to climb high above friend and foe alike, meet the ball full on the forehead and send it, rocket like, into the back of the net.

Not to mention those moments of sheer madness when he would fling himself low into a posse of flying boots in the six-yard box in the hope, however forlorn, of getting the faintest of touches to deflect the ball home.

All these, and more, make up the inspiring memories that made Cliff Jones so revered in his 10 years at Spurs.  Ten years in which he was a crucial element of the team that took us to the peak at home and in Europe.

He arrived at Spurs from Swansea Town for £35,000 in February 1958, but took time to settle and was fortunate the team was playing well and able to carry him.  At the end of the season, he went to the World Cup in Sweden where, back amongst players he knew well, he began to re-discover his form but on his return he broke a leg in pre-season training.

It was December before he was fit to return.  By then Bill Nicholson had replaced Jimmy Anderson as manager but we were having a tough time of things.  A team that had finished third was now struggling to stay out of the bottom three.  It would be wrong to say Jones turned our season around but as full fitness returned he began to show the pace, skill and talent that had led us to snare his signature and he never looked back. 

With Nicholson strengthening the team with players of quality such as John White and Dave Mackay, Cliff was given the freedom to roam where he could do most damage.  Although right-footed, he spent most of his time on the left, picking up the ball deep in midfield, running straight at the defence, beating opponents with speed, a dip of the shoulder and a sudden swerve while heading straight for goal.  Then he would turn, confusing defenders before slipping the ball to Bobby Smith or Les Allen, or unleashing a fierce, accurate shot.

Jones netted an incredible 25 goals in 42 League and Cup appearances in 1959-60 as the ‘Double’ winning team took shape and, when all the pieces of the jigsaw fell into place the following season, he proved himself one of the outstanding stars of that unforgettable team.  

A member of the teams that won the FA Cup in 1962 and European Cup Winners’ Cup winners in 1963, Jones gave some of his finest performances on the European stage, his mere name on the team sheet instilling fear in the opposition.  He was outstanding against Atletico Madrid in that 1963 final, creating the first two goals and running the Spanish defenders ragged for the full 90 minutes.

Jones’ bravery was legendary and it often left him with some nasty injuries but it took something serious to keep him out of the team.  That happened in 1965-66 when he missed most of the season but he returned to collect a third FA Cup winners’ medal in 1967, the first player to do so without playing as the unused substitute in the defeat of Chelsea.

Although the knocks and age began to slow Jones, he still turned out regularly until October 1968 when his great service to Spurs was rewarded with a cut-price transfer to Fulham.  He signed off in the best possible way, with a goal against Manchester United.

Following retirement, Cliff remains a regular visitor to our stadium, having previously been part of the Spurs Legends who worked as matchday hosts, while he was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to Welsh football in June 2026.