Former Leeds United striker Mick Jones has recalled the ease at which he struck a deal to move to Elland Road following his time with Sheffield United.
Jones was a product of the Blades academy back in 1963, when the Shireoaks-born hitman earned his senior bow with the Bramall Lane outfit as an 18-year-old in an old First Division clash with Fulham.
Game time was irregular over the next four seasons before Jones would become the English game’s first six-figure signing, having been convinced of a switch to West Yorkshire by Don Revie in the summer of 1967.
“Of course there were no agents in those days,” Jones recalled in an interview with Examiner Live. “I was the world’s worst financial negotiator, but Don asked what I was earning at Sheffield and I told him £35 a week with a £4 win bonus and £2 for a draw.
“He said ‘I’ll double it’ and I was signed and done and a Leeds player 10 minutes later. He said they had been watching me for two years but you weren’t aware of such things.
“The club you played for had a bind on you and matters like that weren’t openly discussed. Every day now you hear this player is going there and such a club wants such a player, but back then it was all under the carpet.”
Jones’ decision to ditch his boyhood side to become part of Revie’s Whites turned out to be one of the best decisions he could have made in 1967, as the club went on to win two top-flight trophies, an FA Cup, an EFL Cup, two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups and the Charity Shield before the striker retired in 1975.
Jones played a great role in our successes over those years, with the former England international striking home 57 goals in 150 games for the club, including the winner at Old Trafford on the opening day of the 1970/71 season and a hat-trick over Manchester United in February ’72 as we beat the Red Devils 5-1.
Those days are still fond memories for Jones, who added in his chat with Examiner Live: “It was interesting to hear Harry Redknapp say the other day that our Leeds team was the best he has ever seen. I was a decent player in that exceptional team.”
In other Leeds United news, Director of Football Victor Orta’s plans for the summer transfer window have been thrown into disarray.