The gathering of the Jones

Last weekend there was a gathering of the Jones's at the Millenium Stadium.

Over 1,000 of them attended making it the largest number of Jones's at one event according to the Guiness Book of Records.

Hereford United had four Jones playing for them one day according to Frank Keating who has written a long article about the Jones's for the Guardian.

The Jones diaspora reaches everywhere. A couple of decades ago I covered a Hereford United FA Cup tie against Notts County. Four Joneses were playing for Hereford and, successively and surely uniquely, three of them - Mark, Shane and Dick - missed three (three!) successive penalties. So United lost 4-3 and the Hereford Times banner headline lamented: Jones: jinx or joke?

UPDATE: It's been pointed out on the Forum that the author hasn't got his facts quite right.

The game against Notts County was a Leyland DAF Cup game was took place in February 1990. According to Ron Parrott's book, there were three Jones's playing for Hereford that evening.

Mark Jones misses a penalty after 46 minutes. Richard and Mark A Jones then miss in the penalty shoot out.

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