Liverpool’s history with young players is well documented and acclaimed, but they have also dabbled in the older, more experienced market – once doing so for only 21 days!
Imagine having your phone ring, you are a boyhood Red in your mid-to-late thirties and it is Liverpool Football Club on the other end of the line ready to add you to their squad.
Well, that is what fell into the lap of out-of-favour Southampton goalkeeper Paul Jones in January 2004 – who was 36 years old when the call came.
With Jerzy Dudek succumbing to injury and Chris Kirkland already sidelined, Liverpool were left with only one fit senior goalkeeper and found themselves in an urgent need to remedy that.
You know that phone call we alluded to above, did we mention Gerard Houllier would be on the other end of the line from L4? As one would expect, Jones needed no convincing.
He signed a loan contract on the Friday, then trained with his team-mates later that day, before becoming the Reds’ oldest debutant since World War II the following day.
Talk about a whirlwind!
21 days of living the dream
The date is January 10, 2004. Aston Villa are the visitors in the Premier League and ’12. Jones’ is on the team sheet making his club debut at the age of 36 years, eight months and 23 days.
Only one player in the club’s entire history made his debut at an older age, that record was set in 1904 by Ned Doig, who was 37 years, 10 months and three days old.
“I just had a smile on my face from the minute I spoke to Gerard Houllier, just buzzing and couldn’t believe it,” Jones previously told the club’s website.
“It was just a no-brainer for me. What an opportunity. I was late 30s then and I’d never get the opportunity again, I’m sure.
“It was just the opportunity to play for Liverpool – I don’t care if it’s one game.”
It would be more than just one game, it would be two.
Jones kept a clean sheet in the 1-0 win over Villa and was retained for the trip to White Hart Lane the following week, though that sadly ended in a 2-1 defeat.
With Dudek returning from injury ahead of schedule, Jones watched on from the bench for the next two fixtures before seizing the chance to move permanently to Wolves.
The Reds were admirable by allowing the shot stopper to cut his loan move short, meaning he was a Red for only 21 days – but that takes nothing away from his experience.
“It was there and back really! They appreciated that I’d helped them out and vice versa,” Jones said.
“I’d played at Anfield many times, but to actually go in the home dressing room with all that history, actually put on the shirt and run out, it was amazing.
“It just sort of flew by. As much as it wasn’t the most exciting game [home debut] for people to watch, for me it was brilliant!”
After realising a childhood dream and emulating his “boyhood hero Ray Clemence,” Jones’ career would take him to Wolves, Millwall, Watford, QPR and Bognor Regis Town before he retired in 2008.
And in 2012, he was a member of the Liverpool ‘Legends’ side as they toured Thailand – isn’t it incredible just how much can change with one single phone call!
