VIDEO: Jones forced to put family ahead of footballing instinct

Doncaster Rovers’s indomitable centre-half was the club’s leader and heartbeat on and off the field in 2012-13 in his roles as captain and player-coach.

It was a season which culminated in the League One title, a season when he had few peers.

Former Rovers’ chairman John Ryan hailed him as the club’s most inspirational signing since Alick Jeffrey – and not many fans will have disagreed.

Twelve months on and the 34-year-old is battling to save his career. Out since the end of October with a disc problem in his neck which injections have not cleared up, Jones is squaring up to his toughest footballing fight.

Yesterday was his last day among his team-mates at Rovers’ Cantley Park training ground for six weeks as he will undergo surgery on Monday.

For the first time in a long while his footballing career will take a back seat as he puts his family first in a bid to cure his serious injury, which currently leaves him with shooting pains down one arm.

Although determined to carry on playing, Jones is undaunted by whatever is around the corner and will deal with whatever comes.

Jones said: “To a footballer, playing football matches is the be-all and end-all. But I also have two very young children and want to be able to play with them as long as possible, and my grandchildren when it happens. I have to look at the bigger picture.

“It’s a procedure (surgeon) Mr Harvey has done many times and I completely trust him. I’d have loved the injection to have worked, but it hasn’t and this is the next step – and another scar to add to the collection.

“This is my last chance, so let’s get it done and look forward.

“I have got to give myself the best chance. There’s no point lieing to myself and others and saying I am alright because I am not.

“There’s been times where I have sat down and nearly cried me eyes out because it affects you that much. But I am a big strong boy and I will get through it.

“There are worse operations you can have.

“We all have degeneration in our necks. The older you get, the more degeneration you have, which is natural.

“But because I head so many balls and play the way I do, it’s created a scenario where the bulge is bigger than what it should be. It’s touching a nerve and why I’ve lost all the feeling in my arm.

“This is the only way I will get resolution from it and, hopefully, I’ll come out on the other side.

“I have done fantastically well to get this far without having a major operation considering the way I play and have gone about things during 13 or 14 years in the game. I’ve had a good run, but such is life. Football throws up things to test you every now and again.

“Touch wood it will be a success and I can look forward to next season.”

As for any talk of Jones hanging up his boots, typically he breathes defiance, with the phrase ‘the end’ strictly off limits.

He has plenty to attend to in his rehabilitation, principally studying as he prepares to do his A Licence this summer, while he also plans to attend St George’s Park at some point to aid in his recovery.

As for Saturdays, watching Rovers is likely to be out of the equation, for a while at least.

On the subject of his career possibly coming to an end, he said: “That word is banned from my house and the consultation room.

“I have another year left here...Yes, It’s a question I will eventually have to answer, but I don’t want to answer it right now.

“People say, ‘Well, you are nearly 35’. So what? It’s just a number to me. I feel young and fresh, but my neck is just a bit old and tired. But the guy is going to fix it.

“I will use the time away to help with my coaching. It’s not a case of going home, sitting around and not doing anything. I’ve got other things in the pipeline to concentrate my mind.

“I’ve got to find something else to do because at the moment, my wife is tearing her hair out.

“I have never been shy in telling people I want to be a manager at some point. I have a contingency plan, let’s say that.”

As for how he will spend his Saturdays, he added: “I normally take the dogs out, but I won’t be able to walk them now.

“I am sure I will find something to do – and Jeff Stelling is always on at my house.”