Links With The Past: A Portrait & Trophy
Leicester Fosse’s first international players were Dai Jones and Ernie Watkins, who were capped for Wales in a fixture against Scotland in March 1898. Since then, a total of nearly 150 Wales caps have been won by players while they were on the books of Leicester Fosse or Leicester City.
One of these was Jones, who was capped by Wales seven times between 1933 and 1937. Late last year, the Club acquired a unique and extensive collection of Dai’s memorabilia. This framed photograph of Dai wearing one of his Wales international shirts is part of a large array of original photographs, which is now in the Club’s heritage collection.
These photographs not only chart Dai’s football career but also his life outside football until he died in 1971, at the age of 60, when he was a partner in the Oadby-based firm of Day and Jones Leather Factors.
Dai played for Wales when they won the British Home International Championships in 1934 and 1937. This trophy was awarded to him in 1937. The inscription reads: 'International Soccer Championship and Triple Crown won by Wales 1936-37.' Because Dai played once in this series, a 4-1 victory over Northern Ireland in Wrexham, he was the recipient of this impressive trophy.