Biography of Deeside football legend T.G. Jones’ shortlisted for Sports Book of Year award

A biography of T.G. Jones, the former Wrexham, Everton and Wales footballer who founded Connah’s Quay Nomads has been shortlisted in the prestigious Sports Book of the Year awards.

Rob Sawyer’s “The Prince of Centre-Halves”, a story of the life and career of the man who was known to many as ‘TG’ has been shortlisted for best biography in the annual awards.

Born in Queensferry and raised in Connah’s Quay, Jones started his professional career with Wrexham before moving to Everton and playing for Wales.

Sawyer’s biography revives forgotten memories of Jones’ unique talents, particularly during his heyday years at Everton who he signed for in 1936.

TG won a Football League First Division champions medal in only his second full season at Everton in 1938-39, before his career was interrupted by the Second World War.

Jones served as a sergeant PT Instructor in the RAF during the war, but he resumed his career for Everton in 1946.

A.S. Roma successfully bid £15,000 for him, a large sum in those days, but foreign exchange regulations stopped the transfer.

After falling out with the Everton hierarchy he left English football to become a Pwllheli hotelier in 1950 – also becoming player-manager of the town’s football team.

From 1957 he enjoyed a decade as manager of Bangor City – best remembered for three closely fought matches in the European Cup Winner’s Cup against Italian giants Napoli.

What is less widely reported is that Tommy founded Connah’s Quay Juniors FC in his hometown in 1946.

Initially an under-19s side, it soon expanded to include an adult team. To reflect the changes to the club, it changed its name to Connah’s Quay Nomads in 1952, playing at the Halfway Ground.

Tommy died in 2004, aged 86 but, 60 years on from its formation, his brainchild continues to thrive.

A plaque in Connah’s Quay Town Hall celebrates his contribution to the town.

Author Rob Sawyer is a columnist for the Toffeeweb independent Everton website, he is also a member of the EFC Heritage Society.

The shortlists were unveiled at a ceremony at Coutts Bank in Central London last week, the winner at a diiner dinner at Lords on 7 June.