Paul Jones (footballer, born 1986)

Paul Jones

Jones playing for Peterborough United in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Paul Jones
Date of birth	(1986-06-28) 28 June 1986 (age 30)
Place of birth	Maidstone, England
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team	Norwich City
Number	13
Youth career
2001–2002	Charlton Athletic
2002–2004	Leyton Orient
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2005	Leyton Orient	0	(0)
2004–2005	→ Exeter City (loan)	23	(0)
2005–2011	Exeter City	158	(0)
2011	→ Peterborough United (loan)	1	(0)
2011–2012	Peterborough United	35	(0)
2012–2014	Crawley Town	92	(0)
2014–2016	Portsmouth	55	(0)
2016	→ Crawley Town (loan)	8	(0)
2016–	Norwich City	0	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:54, 26 April 2016 (UTC).

Paul Jones (born 28 June 1986) is an English professional footballer who plays for Norwich City as a goalkeeper.

Born in Maidstone, Kent, Jones began his career with the youth system of Charlton Athletic in 2001 before signing for Leyton Orient's youth system in 2002. Despite never breaking into their first team, Jones was thought highly of by then youth coach Alex Inglethorpe.

When Alex Inglethorpe was appointed manager of Conference side Exeter City in Autumn 2004, one of his first moves was to bring Paul Jones in on loan. Arriving part way through the 2004–05 season, Jones quickly established himself as City's first choice keeper, making 23 appearances. On 1 July 2005, Inglethorpe acquired Jones from Orient, and signed him to a permanent deal. At the end of the 2005–06 season, Inglethorpe left Exeter and was replaced by new manager Paul Tisdale. During the pre-season, Jones was forced to compete for his spot with then backup keeper, and former Exeter youth trainee Martin Rice. Days prior to Exeter's first match of the season, Tisdale selected Rice as his first choice keeper. Jones then became Exeter's second choice keeper. He returned to the first-team for the 2007 Conference playoff final, in which he saved a penalty – becoming the first person to do so at the new Wembley Stadium. Exeter failed to win the final though and during the next season, Jones figured mostly as an understudy to Rice's replacement Andy Marriott. He was chosen in the first team again for the play-offs and this time, Exeter managed to win the final at Wembley, with Jones keeping a clean sheet. In the 2008–09 season he played in all 46 League Two matches for Exeter City. Also he won the 2008–09 player of the season award for Exeter City after many stunning performances in goal throughout the season.