My older brother when the Great Brian Labone burst into our team as a youngster, and marked the great Tom finney out of the game as he played no 9 on occasion - told my late father what a footballer of which he was - my late father stated no way will he ever be as good as the great TG Jones - and described to him and I as I grew up what a revolutionary centre back - he really was, and how badly our football club treated him - the book details that in full he could have become a great manager for us - the book states how his tall slim build his suntanned skin - his mop of long black curly hair made him stand out - then his football totally light years ahead of anything a centre back in that era could do -
Franz Anton Beckenbauer is what the book claims was the nearest to TG Jones - that says it all!
When John Hurst partnered Labby - my late father loved him as a player I asked why as he was great - just glimpses of TG Jones - he smiled!
Brain Labone was classy, but that era of centre halves got rid - evidently TG Jones as a young player ignored the shouts from the bench hoof it, and either dribbled it out or sent a wondrous pass out to the winger!
as the great Dixie Dean stated - the best all round footballer he had ever seen, and better than the Master John Charles as he had a crouched style of play, and not the upright elegance of TG Jones -
TG was asked to play no 9 on occasion , and did not disappoint scoring a goal or two!
A great read for any blue supporter
When I read it I could only think of my late fathers words on TG, and wished how he could have read such a tribute to his favourite player!
THE PRINCE OF CENTRE HALVES -
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