MANAGER Andy Thomas is delighted to have secured the signature of former Wrexham midfielder Mark Jones, who has spent the past seven seasons with Bala Town and was the Welsh Premier League's player of the season in 2011/12.
Jones has featured in several pre-seasons games in an attempt to prove to himself that he is fit enough to play and Thomas says: "He has looked really good in all the games and is only going to get better with training and playing."
The 32-year-old started his career as a trainee with Wrexham in August 2002 and made his debut on in a 4-0 win over Exeter City, but had to wait two seasons before becoming an established player. He became particularly popular at the club as one of the most talented local players and as a scorer of some spectacular long-range goals. Despite being a midfielder, he was one of the club's most regular goalscorers, with a ratio of 0.2 goals per game as of the end of the 2005/6 season.
Following Wrexham's relegation from League Two, Jones - who had already declared his intention to leave the club - was released and signed for Rochdale. But he made just nine appearances for the Spotland outfit and, in June 2009, returned to Wrexham, signing a one-year deal. Placed straight into the first-team on his return, Jones scored his first goal since moving back in a 3-0 win over Luton Town but, at the end of the year, was released by Wrexham for a second time after making a total of 162 appearances which yielded 26 goals.
Jones then signed for Bala Town and went on to become one of the Welsh Premier's most successful players, being name in the team of the season for three successive years. He scored 29 goals from 158 (+27) WPL appearances for the Lakesiders and also made five full and one substitute appearances in the Europa League.
As well as making five appearances for the Wales Under-21s, Jones was called up to the senior squad on two occasions and made his international debut in a friendly against Liechenstein in November 2006.
