THE VICS COLUMN - By Paul Bazley

ON Thursday, I had the great honour of representing Northwich Victoria FC at the funeral of NVFC legend Kenny Jones.

Kenny was mine, and many Northwich lads’ first Vics’ hero. An incredible player of pure class, the Booby Moore of Non-League.

FA Cup hero Frank Corrigan once told me if you threw a ball into a crowd of 100 people, Kenny would come out of it with the ball at his feet.

He went on to play an amazing 961 times for our grand old team, and of course was captain in our finest hour lifting the FA Trophy in 1984.

I was fortunate enough to meet Kenny a few times over the last few years in my role as Vics’ Commercial manager.

It was a stalwart of our club, and a member of our fan-run committee, Secretary Dave Thomas who originally asked me to get in contact with Kenny so we could re-unite the Club and it’s greatest player as part of our new fan run era where we wanted to recognise legendary players from our 145 year history.

This was a very proud moment, as you can imagine for a boy who grew up with his mates on a Saturday, getting his chips from the Seafarer chippy in town before walking under the subway towards the historic Drillfield to watch Kenny lead out the Vics.

From then on, Kenny was always happy to help his old team, and would do anything he could for a Club he still loved, and that loved him.

The humble man that he was, he couldn’t believe how much the fans still adored him.

I’d like to say what a beautiful service it was, his girls spoke lovingly about their amazing Dad including many heart-warming and funny stories including the times Kenny got his younger sister, Pam, to clean his muddy boots after training.

Eric Nixon spoke brilliantly on behalf of Tranmere Rovers FC, where Kenny was right-hand man to another of Vics’ legends, Jonny King, when the super Whites had also enjoyed its most successful period with these two great men at the helm.

Vics’ former director Jim Rafferty gave a proud fitting eulogy on behalf of the Club reliving the many great times the Vics had with Kenny, the so many great players involved in his time with us, and what Kenny will always mean to the Club.

Thank you to Kenny’s family for their warmth and kindness to me and the Football Club.

I will remember the day forever as I said goodbye to my first Vics’ hero and we all said goodbye to a real man amongst men.

Kenny Jones, Forever Our Captain. Leader and Legend.

RIP.