In 2023, a piece of Leicester City history changed hands, commanding a price exceeding £5,000 at auction. It was the nine-carat gold Football League Division Two Champion’s medal from the 1936-37 season, a season that saw the Foxes ascend to the First Division. This wasn’t just any medal; it belonged to David “Dai” Owen Jones, a Welsh footballing stalwart whose career with Leicester City left an indelible mark.
Born in Cardiff, Wales, on October 28, 1910, Dai Jones quickly became a celebrated figure in English football. His cheerful disposition on the pitch earned him the affectionate moniker, “the smiling footballer.” While he started his senior career with Ebbw Vale and played 55 league matches for Clapton Orient (now Leyton Orient) from 1931 to 1933, it was his move to Leicester City that truly defined his legacy.
In May 1933, First Division side Leicester City secured Jones’s services for a mere £250. This transfer fee was so modest that the press at the time hailed it as one of Leicester City’s best-ever bargain signings – a prediction that proved remarkably accurate. Jones swiftly established himself as a rock in the Foxes’ defence, going on to make an impressive 226 league appearances and scoring 4 goals during his tenure.
The pinnacle of his time at Filbert Street came in the 1936-37 season. Jones was an ever-present force in the team that clinched the Second Division Championship, securing a triumphant return to the top flight. His unwavering commitment to the club was famously demonstrated in 1935 when he famously withdrew from a Wales international fixture, prioritizing a crucial league match against Tottenham Hotspur for Leicester. Such dedication endeared him to both teammates and supporters alike.
Jones’s talent wasn’t confined to club football. He proudly earned 7 caps for Wales between 1933 and 1937, making his international debut against Ireland in November 1933 and earning his final cap against the same opponent in March 1937. He also played a significant role in Wales’s victories in the British Home Championship in both the 1933-34 and 1936-37 seasons.
His career with Leicester City was remarkably long-spanning, encompassing 14 years and bridging the tumultuous period of the Second World War. Despite serving in the RAF during the conflict, Jones remained dedicated to his club, managing to make 54 wartime appearances. He stayed with Leicester until the first post-war season in 1946-47, even having the honour of scoring the club’s opening goal of that campaign in their third game against West Ham United.
After leaving Leicester City in October 1947, Jones continued his playing career for two seasons with Mansfield Town, making 74 appearances, before joining non-league Hinckley Athletic in 1949.
Following his retirement from professional football, Dai Jones settled in Leicester, transitioning into a new chapter as a partner at the Day and Jones shoe factory. He passed away in Oadby, Leicestershire, in 1971, at the age of 60.