Ex Files: Mark Jones

He signed for Dale having spent all of his career at Wrexham up until that point. His career had dwindled as the Dragons raced towards relegation, but it hadn't stopped former team mate Darren Ferguson trying to sign him for Peterboro in the Summer. That move would have gone through had it not been for a fractured cheekbone sustained at the hands of a baseball bat. After hanging on for Jones to regain his fitness, Posh lost patience and withdraw their contract offer.

His pedigree made him the perfect Dale signing. His CV could have been a Keith Hill wishlist. A proper footballer, versatile, highly rated, yet one who had lost his way in the past couple of years and needed a boost to his career which looked on paper to be on the decline - the archetypal broken toy. And not only that, it was one who was a full international.

But for one reason and another, it never quite got going for Jonah number two at Spotland, and his time at the club was ultimately one of disappointment as he failed to live up to the hype and expectation that accompanied his signing.

Critics may well point out that he was somewhat underused throughout the season, with just nine league appearances to his name during that time but fitness issues ultimately robbed him of that chance to make a name for himself at Spotland.

When released from Dale, it didn't take him long to get fitted up with a new club, as he returned to his old side Wrexham who were happy to have him back in the books, though his fitness issues were noted as a concern by new boss Dean Saunders who was well aware of Jones through his Welsh FA commitments.