Nico Jones

Nico Jones

Jones playing for Brentford B in April 2022.
Personal information
Full name	Nico Anthony Jones [1]
Date of birth	(2002-02-03) 3 February 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth	Chelsea, England [2]
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) [3]
Position(s)	Central defender
Team information
Current team	Banbury United
Youth career
2010–2018	Fulham
2018–2019	Oxford United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019–2021	Oxford United	3	(0)
2020	→ Oxford City (loan)	3	(0)
2021	→ Havant & Waterlooville (loan)	1	(0)
2021–2023	Brentford	0	(0)
2023	Welling United	0	(0)
2024	Dover Athletic	0	(0)
2024	Burgess Hill Town	4	(0)
2024–	Banbury United	9	(0)
International career
2019	Republic of Ireland U18	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:21, 22 October 2024 (UTC)

Nico Anthony Jones (born 3 February 2002) is a professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Southern League Premier Division Central club Banbury United.

Jones is a product of the Fulham Academy and began his professional career with Oxford United. He transferred to Brentford B in 2021, for whom he played until his release in 2023. Born in England, Jones was capped by the Republic of Ireland at under-18 level.

Club career

Early years and Oxford United

A central defender, Jones began his youth career in the Fulham Academy at under-9 level. ^{[3] [4]} After eight years with the club, ^[4] he signed a scholarship deal with Oxford United in 2018. ^[5] He made three first team appearances late in the 2018–19 season and signed a two-year professional contract, with the option of a further year, in June 2019. ^[6] Jones made just one senior appearance during the 2019–20 season, ^[7] albeit a memorable one, when he captained Oxford United to a 4–1 EFL Trophy group stage win over Crawley Town on 12 November 2019. ^[8] The appearance made him the club's youngest-ever captain. ^[8]

Jones was thereafter was reduced to making EFL Trophy appearances and spent time away on loan at National League South clubs Oxford City and Havant & Waterlooville during the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons. ^{[2] [7] [9] [10]} He was released in June 2021, after the club neglected to take up the one-year option on his contract. ^[11] Jones made eight senior appearances during three seasons at the Kassam Stadium. ^[12]

Brentford

On 15 August 2021, Jones transferred to the B team at Premier League club Brentford and signed two-year contract, with the option of a further year, on a free transfer. ^[13] Over the course of the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons, he made 61 B team appearances and was a part of the 2021–22 London Senior Cup-winning squad. ^{[14] [15]} Jones occasionally participated in first team training during the 2021–22 season and made one mid-season friendly appearance. ^{[16] [17]} He was released when his contract expired in June 2023. ^[14]

Non-League football

On 21 November 2023, Jones signed a short-term contract with National League South club Welling United. ^[18] He made a single Kent Senior Cup appearance for the club. ^[19] On 6 February 2024, Jones made a second Kent Senior Cup appearance of the 2023–24 season, for Dover Athletic. ^[20] As an ineligible player, the club was thrown out of the competition for fielding him. ^[20] On 1 March 2024, Jones transferred to Isthmian League South East Division club Burgess Hill Town. ^[21] He made four appearances before the end of the 2023–24 season, ^[22] which culminated in relegation. ^[23] In June 2024, Jones transferred to Southern League Premier Division Central club Banbury United. ^[24]

International career

Jones was called into the Republic of Ireland under-18 squad for a friendly tournament in Sweden in September 2019 and he made one appearance, ^[25] in a 0–0 draw with the hosts. ^[26] Jones made his only under-20 appearance with a start in a non-cap friendly versus the Republic of Ireland amateur team on 22 March 2022. ^[27]

Career statistics

As of match played 19 October 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup [a]		League cup [b]		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Oxford United	2018–19 [28]	League One	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
	2019–20 [7]	League One	0	0	0	0	0	0	1 [c]	0	1	0
	2020–21 [9]	League One	0	0	0	0	0	0	4 [c]	0	4	0
	Total		3	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	8	0
Oxford City (loan)	2019–20 [2]	National League South	3	0	―		―		―		3	0
Havant & Waterlooville (loan)	2020–21 [2]	National League South	1	0	―		―		1 [d]	0	2	0
Welling United	2023–24 [19]	National League South	0	0	―		―		1 [e]	0	1	0
Dover Athletic	2023–24 [19]	National League South	0	0	―		―		1 [e]	0	1	0
Burgess Hill Town	2023–24 [22]	Isthmian League South East Division	4	0	―		―		―		4	0
Banbury United	2024–25 [19]	Southern League Premier Division Central	9	0	1	0	―		0	0	10	0
Career total			20	0	1	0	0	0	8	0	29	0

1. Includes FA Cup
2. Includes EFL Cup
3. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
4. Appearance in FA Trophy
5. Appearance in Kent Senior Cup

Honours

Brentford B

• London Senior Cup: 2021–22 ^[15]

References

1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Oxford United" (PDF). English Football League. p. 52. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
2. Nico Jones at Soccerway. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
3. "Nico Jones". www.brentfordfc.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
4. "Nico Jones – Defender – Under 21 Team". Oxford United. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
5. "Nine New Scholars at Oxford United". www.oufc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
6. "Nico Jones Signs First Professional Contract". www.oufc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
7. "Games played by Nico Jones in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
8. "Good Day For Goodrham". www.oufc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
9. "Games played by Nico Jones in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
10. "Nico Jones Joins Oxford City On Loan". www.oufc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
11. "U's Announce Retained List". www.oufc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
12. Nico Jones at Soccerbase
13. "Nico Jones joins Brentford B". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
14. "Brentford B squad update". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
15. "Match Report: Brentford B win London Senior Cup on penalties". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
16. "Nico Jones: Step by Step". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
17. "Match Report: Brentford XI 3 Leicester City U23s 0". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
18. @wellingunited (21 November 2023). "✍️ Defensive duo sign! The Wings are delighted to welcome right-back Rob Howard back to the club, alongside former @OUFCOfficial & @BrentfordFC centre-back Nico Jones on short-term deals 🤝 #WeAreWings🪽" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
19. "Nico Jones | Player Profile". Aylesbury United Archive. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
20. Reeves, Thomas (24 February 2024). "Confirmed: Whites out of Kent Senior Cup". Kent Online. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
21. "Defender Jones joins the Hillians". bhtfc.co.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
22. "Burgess Hill Town | Appearances | Nico Jones | 2023–2024". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
23. Burgess Hill Town F.C. at the Football Club History Database
24. "Nico Jones joins the Puritans". www.banburyunitedfc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
25. "Ireland U18: Reid names squad for Sweden tournament". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
26. "Ireland U18: Ireland held to a draw by hosts Sweden". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
27. "Nico Jones makes Ireland Under-20 debut". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
28. "Games played by Nico Jones in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 November 2019.

External links

• Nico Jones at banburyunitedfc.co.uk