Liverpool mourned the passing of two title winning defenders last night.
Bill Jones, 89, and Avi Cohen, 54, were remembered in a minute’s applause before last night’s Anfield clash with Wolves.
Jones passed away from natural causes at the Countess of Chester Hospital on Boxing Day. Bill, whose grandson Rob Jones also played for Liverpool, stacked up 277 appearances and 17 goals during the 1940s and 1950s.
Capped twice by England he joined Liverpool in 1938 from Derbyshire club Hayfield St Matthews but immediately saw some of the prime years of his career wiped out by the war.
By the time the Football League resumed ‘normal service’ on the last day of August 1946, Bill was 24 years old. He immediately made up for lost time by helping his club win the First Division championship, playing in 26 of the 42 league matches, including the title ‘decider’ at Wolves.
Bill was a regular member of the side for the next seven seasons and was a versatile man who could play well in several different positions.
He played in Liverpool’s first-ever Wembley FA Cup Final against Arsenal in 1950.
In 1953-54 which proved to be Bill’s last season at Anfield, the relegation which had been narrowly avoided the previous season became a reality.
Bill’s 256th and final league appearance for Liverpool came on a day when relegation had already been confirmed; the Reds went down 3-0 at Blackpool, marking a sad end to a fine Anfield career.
Speaking proudly about his grandson Rob in the 1990s, he said: “We are very proud of his achievements and I have to admit he is a better player than I was. He is a lot faster for a start!”
But former Reds captain Don MacKinlay paid Bill Jones a stirring tribute in 1955.
“One of the finest centre- halves I have ever seen,” he declared. “I would have loved to have played behind him. What a tragedy it was he was moved about such a lot. Why Liverpool let him go this season I just don’t know.”
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