An out-and-out defender and fans’ favourite, Jones played for Chelsea in three highly eventful seasons in the early 1980s and won a Second Division championship medal to add to trophies earned elsewhere.

The Welsh international was one of the great characters to have worn our shirt. More than that, he could take credit for the part he played in putting the brakes on when the club was in freefall, and then helping to propel us on an upward trajectory once again.

Jones was signed by John Neal in 1982 and was already well-known to the Blues manager, who had nurtured him into the professional game when they were both at Wrexham.

Jones was also known to Chelsea supporters in general. He had risen to prominence as a member of Liverpool’s first European Cup-winning team in 1977 and, on moving to Stamford Bridge, became our only current international footballer. He was capped 72 times by Wales.

With the Blues at our lowest ebb, Neal knew he was importing spirit in the shape of an ultra-committed player who had caused him no end of off-field headaches in his younger days –  Jones had been a self-confessed tearaway.

The start at his new club was not without trauma, too. Initially, the signing was unpopular with the crowd, who remembered Jones' past confrontations with Chelsea. One shock FA Cup defeat for Liverpool at Stamford Bridge effectively ended his Anfield career.

Jones was sent off on his Chelsea debut, a defeat at Carlisle, which did not help his cause, but he soon won fans over.

Capable of playing all across the backline, he admitted he was far from the most skilful defender – ‘I was bought to tackle’ – but what was clear to see was a never-say-die battler who was prepared to play on when bloodied and bruised, and who put the supporters first. These were characteristics many believed were lacking in the team.

Neal signed a couple of other strong characters to be role models in a deflated Division Two squad. And although the impact was not instant – the Blues finished in our lowest-ever league position in 1982/83 – Jones rapport with the supporters continued to grow through his on-pitch efforts and his pre-match ritual of rousing the crowd by running to them with a clenched-fist salute, urging their backing, with his other hand carefully covering his Liverpool tattoo!

‘I feel very sorry for the Chelsea fans because we are not giving them enough to shout about,’ Jones said at the time. ‘We take as many supporters away from home as Liverpool and should be giving them more.’

The moustachioed warrior was voted Chelsea Player of the Year as relegation was narrowly avoided.

In the phoenix-from-the-flames season that was Chelsea’s charge to the Second Division title in 1983/84, Jones was the left-back of choice. He started all but eight of the league games.

He scored the second of his two Chelsea goals in a 5-3 win at Fulham as the memorable season began to catch fire, and there was further impetus with the mid-season signing of Mickey Thomas, Jones’ great friend from their junior days at Wrexham and another whole-hearted livewire.

Thomas' high-energy wing play fitted well in front of Jones – the team proved unbeatable for the rest of the campaign – while off the pitch, they would commute together to west London from North Wales, sometimes sleeping overnight on the physio’s couch at the Bridge. Jones had struggled to relocate to the capital when unable to sell his home and was naturally wary of the big city.

There was also a hitch in extending his contract, so for life back in the top division, a new left-back was brought in from Scotland, the towering Doug Rougvie.

That reduced Jones’ involvement, although he did win his place back in the second half of the season and was drafted in at right-back for a famous League Cup tie epic at Sheffield Wednesday.

When Neal’s ill-health led to his assistant coach John Hollins taking the manager’s reins for the 1985/86 season, the new boss was less tolerant of the Welsh pair’s travel and training arrangements, and their antics, which for some had brightened life at Chelsea, were over.

To the surprise of many fans, Jones was transferred to Huddersfield Town before the next season began, with 91 appearances to his name and his status as a true Chelsea cult hero assured.

Jones later returned to Wrexham for a third playing spell before a natural progression into coaching in their academy.

All at Chelsea send our deepest condolences to Joey's family and friends.