Brad Jones

At 42 years old, Brad Jones has this physical status:

Bradley Scott Jones (born 19 March 1982) is an Australian professional footballer who plays for the Saudi Arabian team Al-Nassr.

He was a member of the Middlesbrough squad for more than a decade, playing on loan at a variety of lower league clubs, including Stockport, Rotherham United, Blackpool, and Sheffield Wednesday.

Shelbourne also had a short loan stint in Ireland.

In August 2010, he made a £2.3 million move to Liverpool, where he spent four seasons, mainly in a back-up capacity.

Jones spent two short stints in England, then in the Netherlands at NEC, before joining Feyenoord in August 2016 on a one-year contract.

After winning the Dutch Eredivise championship in May 2017, he signed another two years at Feyenoord.

Personal life

After a year-long fight with leukaemia, Jones' six-year-old son, who had been in a previous marriage, died on October 18th, 2011. Liverpool's players and staff wore black armbands as a mark of honor in their resounding 2–1 win over Chelsea; his old Middlesbrough colleagues also wore armbands as a mark of respect.

In July 2015, Jones married long-term partner Dani Rose Jones, a former model, at Peckforton Castle, Cheshire. They have three children, two sons born in 2012 and 2019, as well as a a daughter born in 2014.

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Club career

Jones was born in Armadale, a Perth suburb, Western Australia, to English parents. He attended John Curtin Senior High School, graduating in 1998 as a childhood Liverpool fan. Jones has joined Bayswater City, Western Australia, as the native of the city of South Australia.

He was then signed by Middlesbrough, where they were then in their youth system, and signed a professional deal on March 26, 1999. He made his first appearance in the FA Cup third round against Notts County in 2004 and claimed the League Cup champions medal later that season.

He had loan stints with numerous clubs over the years, but Shelbourne, an Irish club, lost four games in 2001-02. In a 6–4 victory over Dalymount Park, he made his professional and League of Ireland debut against Bohemians on October 5th, he conceded 4 goals, one of which was direct from his own goal kick. In a 3–1 home win over Monaghan United, his second appearance for the club came a week later. Later, he had loan spells at Stockport County and Blackpool. Jones saved a Ruud van Nistelrooy penalty, which ended the match against Manchester United's level at 0–0 in the 2005–06 season, while playing for Middlesbrough.

Jones was loaned out to Sheffield for three months in August 2006. In successive games against Plymouth Argyle and Leeds United, he got off to a good start in his loan spell, making some critical saves as well as conceding penalties. During the home game against Queens Park Rangers on October 21, his own followers turned on him and fired coins and other missiles.

Jones became Middlesbrough's first choice goalkeeper after mentor Mark Schwarzer moved to Fulham. In the second game of the 2008-2009 season, he suffered from an injury and then missed the next two games. Jones regained his spot in the Middlesbrough first squad in January 2009 and remained the first choice in the Premier League as Middlesbrough was relegated from the Premier League. Danny Coyne's re-signing caused him to miss the start of the season, but he recovered his position against West Bromwich Albion after he lost five goals. Despite failing to gain promotion from the Championship, he stayed in the Boro side for the remainder of the season.

Jones signed Liverpool in a contract worth £2,300,000. He qualified as a "homegrown" player under the new Premier League rules. Jones, captain Steven Gerrard, Emiliano Insa, Alberto Aquilani, and Dirk Kuyt watched Liverpool's UEFA Europa League play-off 1st leg tie at Anfield from the directors' box on August 19th. After goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri left the club on August 23nd, ahead of Liverpool's match against Manchester City, he was given the number one shirt. Jones made his unofficial debut in Jamie Carragher's testimonial against an Everton XI and was rewarded with a string of saves. Jones made his Liverpool debut in the League Cup 3rd Round tie against Northampton Town on September 23, 2010. After an extra time, the game came to an end, but Liverpool lost on penalties. Jones sustained his shoulder in preparation and was out for up to a month. Martin Hansen, Liverpool's other backup goalkeeper, was on loan at Tranmere Rovers until Jones was back from injury. In a Europa League match against Utrecht on December 15, he made his second appearance for the Reds, collecting his first clean sheet for the Reds. This was to be Jones' last game of the 2010-2011 season, but it was to be his last game of the season.

Jones remained on loan for the remainder of the 2010-11 season after retiring in March. Jones made his debut in a 4–1 loss to Cardiff City and went on to concede 16 goals in his seven games at Derby, including two against Burnley (2–4) and three against Norwich City (2–3). In Derby's last home game of the season, he was criticized by Derby boss Nigel Clough after his mistake allowed Bristol City to take the lead early in the club's last home game of the season, a game that eventually lost 2–0. It was Jones' last Derby game. In Derby's 2–1 loss at Reading on the last day of the Championship season before being recalled by academy goalkeeper Ross Atkins, he was an unused substitute.

Liverpool's first Premier League match for the club came in a 3–2 away victory over Blackburn Rovers on April 10, 2012. After second choice goalkeeper Doni had been suspended for fouling Junior Hoilett in the penalty area, Jones came off the bench in the 26th minute. Jones saved the resulting penalty, which was taken by Yakubu and lauded by pointing to the sky in honor of his late son, Luca. Liverpool defeated the game 2–3 with a injury time winner from Andy Carroll. He was in the FA Cup semi-final against Everton at Wembley Stadium after Doni and first choice goalkeeper Pepe Reina's suspension; Liverpool defeated Everton 2–1; and Andy Carroll scored. Jones made history by being the first Liverpool player to play in four separate tournaments.

Jones made his first appearance of the 2012–13 season in a UEFA Europa League qualifier against Gomel on August 2nd; Liverpool won the match 1–0. In the Europa League group stage, his second appearance appeared in a 5–2 victory over Young Boys on September 20th. In a 2–1 victory over West Brom on September 26, Jones also helped Liverpool progress in the League Cup.

He made his Premier League debut against Reading on October 20th, which Liverpool defeated 1–0. Jones played his third Europa League game against Anzhachhi Makhachhachhacha on October 25, keeping yet another clean sheet as Liverpool defeated 1–0. He appeared in Liverpool's 2–2 draw at Goodison Park three days later. Liverpool defeated Swansea City 3–1 on October 31 in the League Cup, where Liverpool lost 3–1.

After their 1–1 draw with Newcastle United on November 4th, Jones got off to a good start in goal for Liverpool. Liverpool played against Anzhi on Monday in a Europa League group stage match, losing 1–0 after a 46th minute chip goal from Lacina Traore. After a long run against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on November 11, Jones seemed to be Jones' month. Thanks to Jones' good save from a Fernando Torres header, the game came to a 1-1 draw.

Jones was rewarded and signed a new deal with Liverpool on December 21, 2012, thanks to his outstanding results. Jones would win by 5–0 over Norwich in the Premier League, then go on to keep another clean sheet this time. As Liverpool defeated Oldham out 32-0, he would then play in an FA Cup match against League one's Oldham. Jones was at fault for at least one of the goals conceded. Jones would return to play two more times in the 2012/2013 season, the first was a 3–1 loss to Southampton, but he made a good save in that match, including a one on one against Rickie Lambert.

Jones was a regular player for Liverpool in the 2012-2013 season, losing 21 goals and keeping four clean sheets, making his most productive season to date. Brad Jones did not make a single appearance for Liverpool in the Premier League during the 2013-14 season. But he was still the top goalkeeper for the FA Cup, and he played two games before losing to Arsenal in the fifth round.

Jones was selected in the starting 11 against Manchester United rather than the regular goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, who had been under-performing since the start of the season. Jones put on a mixed result in a 3–0 loss, with some analysts chastising him for going to the ground too early for two of the goals.

Jones was released by Liverpool on June 10, 2015.

Following his release from Liverpool, Jones signed for Bradford City on a one-year contract on August 17th. Jones was in a 2–2 draw with Sheffield United in his first game for Bradford. Bradford City announced on October 27th, 2015, that he had been released by mutual agreement.

Jones joined Dutch club NEC on a 6-month contract on January 5th, 2016.

Despite NEC's desire to hold Jones, the club has had a good season with 17 appearances and four clean sheets, on June 3rd, 2016.

Jones joined Feyenoord on a one-year contract on July 7, 2016. In Feyenoord's 5–0 victory over FC Groningen, he made his debut on August 7th, keeping a clean sheet. Jones kept his 14th clean sheet of the season in February 2017, becoming the first Feyenoord goalkeeper to reach the milestone after Ed de Goey 20 years ago. Despite regular goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer's return to action, Jones' solid form saw him maintain his starting position for the remainder of the 2016–17 season. Feyenoord led to the Economist Society of 2016, with Jones keeping 17 clean sheets in the club's first title in 18 years. Jones had signed a new deal on May 22, 2017, and the Rotterdam-based club had two additional years to go.

He appeared on Feyenoord's final 3–0 against AZ Alkmaar on April 22, 2018.

Jones signed Al-Nassr, a Saudi Professional League team, on a two-year contract on August 1, 2018. Jones left Al-Nassr when his deal came to an end in July 2021. During his time with Al-Nassr, he was a member of the Saudi Pro League team that won the Saudi Pro League championship in 2019.

Jones would return to Perth, Perth, on a two-year deal, according to the newspaper on August 5, 2021.

International career

Jones, who competed for the Australia national under-20 football team and the under-23 team at the 2004 Summer Olympics, was disappointed not to be selected for the 2006 FIFA World Cup squad and considered moving his international allegiance to England or France, the former being possible because his wife was French. Jones' first senior international call up for Australia came from Australia on February 5th, 2007, to replace Mark Schwarzer in a friendly match.

He made his first international debut against Uruguay on June 2nd. He was at fault for Australia's loss of the game after missing a common catch that had triggered Alvaro Recoba's scoring a quick goal. He was part of Australia's debut in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, but he did not appear in any of their matches. In addition,, he was named as one of Australia's final 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but he left the team to return to his family following the announcement that his son was diagnosed with leukemia and did not return to the tournament.

While Ange Postecoglou was instructing Australia, Jones made only one appearance in half of a friendly match against Ecuador, which Australia lost 3–4. Jones wasn't called up after the collapse of Postecoglou, despite being in form throughout three seasons, including goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, although many were surprised by this. Bert van Marwijk, Postecoglou's replacement, has expressed an interest in returning Jones to the national squad after his retirement. He was selected in Australia's preliminary 26 man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia in May 2018. Jones was called to the 23-man squad on June 2nd.

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