David Jones is the perfect example of local talent shining at the highest levels of Australian football. The imposing central defender played with great distinction on the local, national and international stages throughout his 15-year senior career.
Born in Fremantle on 1st April 1955, David gained State representative honours as a junior for Kwinana United, where he made his first team debut as a fresh-faced 16-year old. It was clear from early that he would be destined for bigger things and in April 1974 gained his first senior State outing against South Australia.
In June 1975 David, Gary Marocchi and Steve Iozzelli were part of a youthful Australian squad that played South Korea and Burma in Indonesia. That same year, and despite missing seven games due to State duty, the now 20-year old became the first Australian-born player to win the Gold Medal.
Over the course of the next few years David was selected to wear the black and gold of Western Australia on 24 occasions with outings against the likes of Chelsea, Glasgow Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur. He was also a key part of the Marah Halim Cup winning squads of 1975 and 1976.
Following a season with East Fremantle Tricolore, David headed east to join West Adelaide for the inaugural National Soccer League season in 1977. His no-nonsense approach to defending was rewarded with his first ‘A’ appearances for Australia in end of year friendlies with Singapore and Kuwait.
The following season David scored some valuable goals for West Adelaide, who took out the NSL championship by a single point over Sydney-based side Eastern Suburbs. Further international honours followed with a pair of appearances in the home series with Greece.
David was an ever-present in his third and final season with West Adelaide. An off-season switch took him to Adelaide City where over the next two years he was rarely out of the starting eleven. It was during his time with the Zebra’s that he gained his final Socceroos outing in a 2-2 draw with Czechoslavakia.
David commenced 1982 with South Melbourne Hellas but after a handful of games transferred to Preston Makedonia. The following season he was an ever-present for the Preston side that competed all season for top honours only to finish third, just three points behind champions St George.
After 185 games and 11 goals David brought his national league career to a close in 1983. He returned west where he played three seasons with Perth Azzurri before hanging up his boots for the final time at the age of 31.
In 1996 David was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame Western Australia’s Hall of Champions. Eight years later he was recognised as amongst the State’s 100 greatest players when selected in the Century of Champions.
