Yesteryear greats with Lovemore Dube
BETWEEN 1981 and early 1983 Highlanders had two hard tacklers at the back Henry “Scania” Jones and Douglas “British” Mloyi.
The duo was imposing and very tough on the tackle and would deliberately urge each other to commit rough tackles on opponents.
“If you survived on the touch line Dougie was there to take you out or vice versa. We were hard to beat and had a very good team with Fanuel on the left, myself on the right and Mloyi and Shakespeare Mabika at the centre,” said Jones in an interview in Bulawayo on Thursday.
Other players who were part of the Bosso squad were Tymon Mabaleka, Mark Watson, Majuta Mpofu, Cosmas Zulu, Nhamo Shambira, Colsen Mabeza, Madinda Ndlovu, David Mhlanga, George Moyo and Phineas Mabaleka.
The former Rangers and Bosso tough-as-teak defender was in the country for a few days to visit his family.
“I had a good time at Highlanders. It was a very good environment and we played for the badge. Forty years later I still count myself as Bosso, I love the team and I miss it a lot. It’s a pity I came during the off-season but I have been able to get to the clubhouse to get the vibe,” said Jones. He was able to meet his former partner in crime Mloyi who was the first former player he asked about when he met this writer for an interview. When the writer said he had Mloyi’s mobile phone number, Jones did not waste time to talk to his old mate whom he had not seen in over 23 years.
The two-minute chat on the phone was all laughter and it was to continue two hours later when the two met physically.
Jones at the age of 46 while playing First Division football in New Zealand where he is based was a victim of two simultaneous tackles on him by members of the opposition during regional trials for a tour of Australia in 2006.
It was all over for a defender who had nearly ended the careers of the likes of Mark Abrahams, Machona Sibanda, July Sharara, Edward Katsvere and David “Dididi” Khumalo.
“I don’t think I was rough, I was tough,” quipped Jones during the interview.
He paid tribute to Madinda Ndlovu, Titus Majola and Mloyi for encouraging him when he joined from Division Three side Rangers.
“These three were very supportive, they made me feel at home and asked me to take it easy,” said Jones.
He had been identified by Lawrence Phiri and the late former club boss Malcom King while playing at Nguboyenja.
During the week they made a follow-up and Jones had two days to train with the team ahead of an away match to Hwange.
“I remember the day I was recruited, I left Silver Fox and headed to the match. King and Phiri were impressed with my game and recommendations were made so that I move to Bosso, a good leap in my career, going to play with some big names that I had only heard about in the past.
“I was a ball of nerves, I was going to face Hwange who had Nyaro Mumba among their best players. Their team was good but we won I think 2-1 and I contained their good wingers David Khumalo and Machona Sibanda. Everybody was happy and I have Mloyi and Madinda to thank for calming my nerves,” said Jones.
He said in the few days before the trip to Hwange, Madinda had arrived from the national team and had to face Jones at training.
“I gave him a torrid time and from that time he called me Hloka because he said I was chopping like an axe on the wings. We stayed friends and I am happy about the player he grew up to be,” said Jones.
Jones said Shacky Tauro of Caps United was a tough nut to crack as was July Sharara and Edward Katsvere of Dynamos and the problematic Boy Ndlovu of Eagles.
There were good strikers back then but they knew that at Highlanders there was Jones and British.
“Some would be overheard saying why does the coloured guy not play rugby because of his tackles,” said Jones.
He said back then strikers were big, strong and there were some fast wingers who were excellent on the dribble.
Sadly in 1983 Jones quit the game to concentrate on his job at Naran’s business empire.
“I chose work, football back then did not pay much and family needed cover financially,” said Jones.
He remembers a scorcher he scored from about 40m in the Eastern Lowveld against Hippo Valley.
“After the match Dougie and Madinda were asking me whether it was a deliberate goal effort or it was a clearance from me that resulted in a goal. I used to pack hard shots,” said Jones who at one stage won the Zimbabwe Dancer of the Year title.
Jones said football back then was very competitive with a lean league which meant the few very good players battled for places in the 12 Super League clubs.
“You had to be among the very best to play in the Super League where competition was very hot and there were many real stars. You never took any opposition for granted, the players had passion for the game and respected the badge and the fans. We were united at Highlanders with the aim to win each and every match which came our way. The unity in the team was great, I was welcome in the side and treated well just like any of the players in the side,” said Jones.
He described today’s generation as the lucky ones in that they were being paid handsomely.
The famous Paul Kruger who coached BSAP and Rangers in the 1960s and 70s, recruited 16-year-old Jones to the team in 1976.
“I was still a schoolboy at Founders High School when he recruited me to Rangers. They were in Division Three and had players like Jimmy Finch, Bobby Monakis, Bones Jeffreys, Boet Phelpin and Cedric Green. We had fun, we worked hard as a team,” said Jones.
He said at the club he met many players he had clashed with in junior football who had either been at Mckeurtain Primary School or Founders High or schools that played against his as his game took off and continued to improve with age.
At both primary and secondary school, Jones played as a centre-back.
He paid tribute to a Mr Pillay who was his coach alongside Paul Pretorius at Mckeurtain for planting the seed that took him to national recognition with Highlanders.
At one stage barring his hard tackling, because of his energy pacing up and down the flank and delivering good crosses he was among the best right backs in the country, quite exciting too because of his colour at Highlanders.
Born in Bulawayo on 29 August 1960, Jones spent all his childhood and first 40 years in Bulawayo before moving to New Zealand where he rebuilds cars and sells them.
He grew up in the Thorngrove neighbourhood.
No one among his three children is into serious sport though they dabbled in rugby in New Zealand.
His father Peter Bucks Jones managed Rangers and also played during the 1950s for Red Army which was a Bulawayo Select drawn from teams that played in the Bulawayo Amateur Football Association (Bafa).
He is the elder brother to former Zimbabwe Saints, AmaZulu and Kismet United striker King Jones.
Bosso fans nicknamed Jones “Scania” because he would carry both the man and the ball off the field. A Scania back then was the biggest truck around.
