A former Liverpool ace punched his manager in the face following an FA Cup clash - and he never played for the club again
Joey Jones of Liverpool runs out of the tunnel during the 1976/77 season at Anfield
Joey Jones negatively impacted his Liverpool career after punching Bob Paisley - but all wasn't as it seemed(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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Former Liverpool defender Joey Jones didn't mean any harm when he accidentally punched club icon Bob Paisley in the face. However, the late ex-Reds star was convinced his unintentional altercation with Anfield royalty played a significant role in his departure.
Former Wales defender Jones, who made the move to Liverpool from Wrexham in 1975, was sidelined after Paisley promoted players like Alan Hansen and Tommy Smith. The renowned hard man had already bagged two First Division titles, two European Cups and a UEFA Cup before finding himself slipping down the ranks.
By early 1978, Jones' time at Anfield was drawing to a close. And it seems the final straw came during an FA Cup clash with Chelsea in January of that year, when an unfortunate incident involving the manager seemed to have serious repercussions.
"I punched him, that's what I did," he once told LFC History. "It was accidental. I loved him like a father. It was a complete accident, but I didn't play for Liverpool after that!
"It was at Chelsea, an FA Cup tie. I had been switched to right-back to mark Clive Walker. They thought I could mark wingers better than Phil Neal. We got battered at Chelsea. I hadn't had a good game anyway. Clive Walker scored two. You can still see it on YouTube.
"I felt I was no worse than anybody else. I was always really critical of my own performance, maybe too critical. I didn't feel I was any worse than anyone else on this particular day, but I got substituted.
"I remember the boss Bob Paisley throwing the tracksuit at me, 'Put that on.' Obviously, I was agitated and sweaty and had a few problems getting it on. I couldn't get my head all through the neck.
Joey Jones and Emlyn Hughes at the Moat House hotel to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 1977 Liverpool FC European Cup Final victory over Borussia Monchengladbach
Jones (L) was moved on by Liverpool after his unfortunate clash with Paisley (not pictured)(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright)
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"As I was sitting there struggling then all of a sudden my hand went straight through the sleeve and I felt my fist hit somebody's flesh. As my head came through I could see the boss rubbing his face. To this day I don't know if it is whether I punched him in the face or played c**p that I never played for Liverpool again after that. The following season I left."
Jones, who earned 72 caps for Wales, made his way back to Wrexham later that year in a record-breaking £210,000 deal. Astonishingly, that figure stood as the Championship side's highest transfer purchase for nearly 50 years, until Ollie Palmer arrived from AFC Wimbledon in a £300,000 move in 2022.
He remained in his homeland for another four years before making his return to England's top division with Chelsea in 1982. Jones, who died aged 70 last July, subsequently signed for Huddersfield Town before completing one final chapter with his cherished Wrexham, where he hung up his boots in 1992.
Liverpool manager Bob Paisley stands on the Anfield pitch, proudly displaying his haul from the 1980-81 season which included the European Cup (v Real Madrid in final), League Cup (v West Ham in final), Liverpool Senior Cup (v South Liverpool in final), Central league Trophy (reserves) and 16 bottles of Bell's whiskey as manager of the month and other special season awards during a photoshoot
Anfield icon Paisley achieved widespread success while being a tough customer at the Liverpool helm(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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As it happens, striking Paisley directly in the face might not have been the sole incident that sealed Jones's departure from Anfield. He also became embroiled in a confrontation with team-mate Ray Kennedy after accidentally stepping on his foot while shadow-boxing, leaving their manager far from impressed.
"I hit him (Kennedy) twice and we end up in this brawl," Jones recalled. "I remember Bob Paisley saying, 'Both of you can leave the club. ' Obviously he thought more of Ray than me because it was me who left (laughs)."
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