PAT JONES

Born: 07 September 1920

Came from: Astor Institute   Went to: St Austell

First game: 17 May 1947   Last game: 21 April 1958

Appearances: 441 (441/0)   Goals: 2

Pat Jones was born in Plymouth in 1920 but didn't make his Argyle debut until 1947 due to World War II, during which he joined the Devonshire Regiment and served in India playing for the Combined Services XI whilst stationed there. Upon his return, he turned out locally for Plymouth United and Astor Institute.

Jones was amongst several players from local teams offered the chance to impress Argyle in 'A' game matches and he did enough to persuade Jack Tresadern to sign him. And what a signing it turned out to be. Signed in March 1947 he had played just seven reserve games before being given his debut and he stayed in the team for the last three games of the 1946-47 season in which the club struggled to avoid relegation.

A diminutive player, at just 5ft 7" and a little over 10 stone, he then went on to make the Argyle left-back position his own for eleven years, going on to play an incredible 279 consecutive league games, which will quite probably never be beaten. However, were it not for patience and persistence, his longevity in green may never have happened. It took ten matches for the club before he played in a winning side, the previous nine matches yielding seven defeats and two draws, with 26 goals conceded!

Honours did follow, however, as Argyle won the 1952 Third Division (South), where he was ever-present, as he was in six of his twelve seasons with the club. Loved by the fans and aided no doubt by being a local boy, something which still resonates with fans to this day, he played against some of the game's great wingers, including Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney and more than held his own.

In 1955 he also achieved a rare first as sporting codes merged. In a home match versus top-flight giants Wolves in the FA Cup 3rd round in January, in front of 40,000 at Home Park, he left the pitch after a clash of heads, with his captain, Jack Chisholm. Long before any blood protocols of modern football, Jones later returned sporting a rugby skull cap to help protect his wound after it had been stitched. Yet as if to underline his importance to the side, the visitors had scored what turned out to be the winner whilst he was off the pitch.

Later that year, he notched his first goal for the club (one of only two) in a home match against Sheffield Wednesday in December 1955 to help secure a draw. It was his first goal in 352 appearances - another record which will quite probably never be broken.

After twelve seasons at Home Park, Jones retired in 1958 and moved into non-league football with South Western League side St Austell at the age of 37, missing out on another medal by a season as Argyle triumphed with the Division Three title again, the following year. In total, he had played 441 times for the club, scoring twice and as of 2024, that ranked him joint 6th (level with Johnny Hore) in the club's all-time appearances list.

Jones remained based in his home city and returned to the club in 1961 as a member of training staff under Ellis Stuttard and remained in that role until 1964, when he left Home Park to pursue business interests locally, running a cafe and grocery store in Challaborough.

Jones passed away locally, in December 1990.