Ray Jones

Raymond Barry Bankote Jones (28 August 1988 – 25 August 2007) was an English professional footballer who played as a striker. Eight days later, he made his second appearance of the season, coming on for Stefan Bailey in the 68th minute of a defeat by the same score away to the already-crowned winners of the Football League Championship, Reading.

Jones had his first professional start on 12 August 2006, in a 2–0 win over Southend United at Loftus Road. He assisted Nick Ward's goal in the 41st minute, which gave QPR their first win of the new season. Brian Glanville of The Sunday Times opined that Jones and fellow youngster Dexter Blackstock combined in the forward line "as though they had been playing together for years". Ten days later in the second round of the Football League Cup at home to Northampton Town, Jones came on for Marc Bircham in the 84th minute, and three minutes later headed Marcus Bignot's cross for his first career goal, winning the match 3–2.

On 5 September, Jones made his only international appearance, replacing Giles Barnes in a goalless friendly draw for England under-19 against the Netherlands at the Bescot Stadium in Walsall. Eighteen days later, he scored his first league goal, opening a 2–0 home win over Hull City, the first match of John Gregory's tenure. Jones followed this the following weekend as QPR came from behind to win 2–1 at Southampton, scoring the decisive goal after rounding goalkeeper Kelvin Davis. On 17 November, as a substitute for Blackstock, Jones scored the only goal in a 1–0 away win over high-flying Cardiff City, connecting with Ward's cross with less than three minutes left of the match.

Many Premier League clubs showed interest in Jones after several solid performances, and Gregory at one point stated that he was resigned to him leaving. After scoring the only goal against Colchester on 1 January 2007, he pledged his future to the club, and a week later as he signed a new three-and-a-half-year deal. In total, Jones played 37 games (19 as a substitute) for QPR in all competitions, scoring six goals. QPR's West London derby rivals Fulham also bid for him, as did Derby County, who offered £5.75 million for him and teammate Lee Cook. He missed the start of the 2007–08 season, in the last month of his life, due to a foot injury. He had only become a licensed driver 23 days earlier. Jones's death was compared to that of Kiyan Prince, a QPR youth player who was fatally stabbed the previous year at the age of 15 when breaking up a fight. QPR also decided to retire the number 31 shirt in memory of Jones, who wore that shirt during his career. In their league game against Southampton on 1 September 2007, all of the QPR players carried Jones's name on the back of their shirts as a mark of respect.

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