Phil Jones

Blackburn Rovers

Jones joined the Blackburn Rovers youth team in 2002. He then joined the senior team for the 2009–10 Premier League season, signing a two-year professional contract. He made his first-team debut for Blackburn after starting the League Cup match against Nottingham Forest on 22 September 2009, in which Blackburn won 1–0. Then in February 2010, he signed a new five-year contract that included a £16 million release clause. Jones made his first Premier League start for Blackburn against Chelsea on 21 March, just a month after turning 18. He was widely praised for his committed and assured performance at centre-back, making several crucial blocks and interceptions as Rovers held the champions to a 1–1 draw at Ewood Park. In the 2009–10 season, he made nine league appearances, and three cup appearances. The 2010–11 season started in promising fashion with Jones starting in the opening match of the campaign against Everton, and subsequently playing the majority of the club's matches in the first half of the season, albeit in an unfamiliar defensive midfield role. A torn knee cartilage injury in a match against West Ham United in December, threatened to rule him out for the remainder of the season. However, on 19 March 2011, he made his return from injury against Blackpool at Ewood Park coming on as a second-half substitute for Brett Emerton in a 2–2 draw. On 2 April 2011, Jones started a first-team match for the first time in four months against Arsenal at…

Jones made his debut for the England under-19 team in the 3–1 win over Turkey on 17 November 2009. He appeared a further three times for the under-19s. On 4 August 2010, Jones was called up to the England under-21 squad. On 10 August, Jones won his first under-21 cap, starting for England against Uzbekistan. He was substituted in the 46th minute and was replaced by Liverpool's Martin Kelly. He was selected for the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Denmark and was made captain by manager Stuart Pearce for the final group stage match against the Czech Republic. On 5 August 2011, he was called up to the England senior team for the friendly against the Netherlands by Fabio Capello, but did not end up playing as the match was cancelled four days later by the Football Association after riots in London. On 7 October 2011, Jones made his debut for the England senior team in a 2–2 draw against Montenegro in UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying. After the match, Capello said Jones was "born with talent", and praised his performance. Jones was named in England's UEFA Euro 2012 squad by Capello's replacement Roy Hodgson. However, he did not make an appearance during the tournament. On 12 May 2014, Jones was named in England's 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Due to a shoulder injury, Hodgson took uncapped defender John Stones as standby for Jones, but he recovered before 2 June deadline. With England's elimination confirmed, Jones was given a tournament debut as a starter in the…

At the beginning of the 2023-24 season, Jones began a coaching role, working with the under-14 and under-18 teams in the Manchester United academy. On 13 February 2026, Jones returned to Blackburn Rovers as a first-team coach following the appointment of Michael O'Neill as head coach. In September 2025 he graduated in the inaugural cohort of students from the PFA Business School, with a Diploma in Sport Directorship from the University of Portsmouth. On 11 June 2026, Blackburn announced he had left to pursue another opportunity. On 17 June 2026, Jones joined Championship club Sheffield United in the position of first-team coach.

Jones was born in Preston, Lancashire, and grew up in nearby Clayton-le-Woods. He attended Balshaw's CE High School in Leyland, and played for the Ribble Wanderers under-10 team.