Farewell to Mark – an incredible human, loyal friend and amazing husband and dad

Throughout my writing career I’ve had to compose way too many tributes to North Wales sporting figures who have sadly passed on.

Many have been difficult to put together, but the hardest of all is this one – a celebration of the life of my best friend of 30 years.

Mark Jones wore numerous sporting hats – author, historian, newspaper journalist and editor, nostalgia expert, programme specialist, programme editor and, with Prestatyn Town Football Club, secretary, vice-chairman and matchday announcer.

That covers much of the CV, but certainly not all.

When Mark passed away unexpectedly in the early hours of Thursday, December 8, after a short battle with sepsis, it left a huge void in the lives of those closest to him – most of all his wife of 18 years Yvette and son Michael, as well as Lili, the beloved family Jack Russell.

Born on October 20, 1961, Mark was always quite impressed to share the same birthdate as the great Ian Rush of Chester, Liverpool and Wales fame.

Son of Eddie and Tegwen and brother to Julie, Mark’s dad was a serving policeman. So the family moved around North Wales quite a bit during Mark’s childhood depending on where his father was stationed.

After leaving Prestatyn High School, where his football involvement was mainly as an occasional goalkeeper, Mark had quite a few jobs, mainly in banking and finance, and also worked at W H Smith in London, where he would regularly serve England and Watford striker Luther Blissett.

Mark returned to settle in North Wales in the early 1990’s. Always keen on writing and the local football scene, as well as being a lifelong supporter of Chester FC, Mark co-founded the prestigious Welsh Football Magazine alongside David Collins, who still edits the publication today.

I first met Mark in 1993, when he began working as a reporter at the Rhyl and Prestatyn Visitor office in Rhyl High Street. I worked for sister publication the Vale Advertiser in Denbigh.

Naturally, with our common interests in both sport and music, a friendship was soon born and one of our first-ever conversations was about Denbigh Town’s sensational North Wales Coast Challenge Cup win over semi-pros Caernarfon Town in February 1992.

I was reporting on the game that day, while Mark was also in the Central Park ground as a spectator We did not know one another then.

While we worked on our respective newspapers, Mark was secretary and programme editor for Prestatyn Town, while I edited Denbigh Town’s programme.

This meant several years of friendly rivalry and some mightily bulky match programmes when we played each other.

When Mark left the Visitor to work on the production desk at Llandudno Junction HQ in 1998, I became chief reporter at the Rhyl newspaper.

We did not actually work together at the same office until 2007, when I became sports editor of the Visitor, Vale, Bangor and Holyhead Mail and Caernarfon Herald, and Mark was promoted to deputy editor of the weekly papers.

By 2009, Mark had left the Junction and I moved onto the daily paper, while still remaining in charge of the weeklies sport.

Mark later had a stint in production with North Wales Newspapers before leaving the industry altogether.

I did likewise in 2018 and certainly in my case have never been so happy career-wise, while Mark felt the same, glad to be freed from the shackles of an industry in decline where community-based gems have been turned into centralised, corporate playthings.

Mark later owned The Beautiful Game – a football memorabilia shop on Prestatyn High Street and until recently had worked at Central Beach Club, Prestatyn, St Melyd Golf Club, serving refreshments.

As long-time friends, Mark and I very rarely argued, but our last four years as pals were the very best, free from the media chains.

We met regularly for chats on just about everything, but mainly football and music. In Rhyl, we frequented the Cob and Pen. When it was my turn to visit Prestatyn, we took in a few venues and Mark often brought lovely little Lili with him.

Mark was very helpful when I set up Grassroots North Wales in 2019.

He was an advisor and contributor to the website, with his spotlights on old football programmes and nostalgic look-backs on North Wales yesteryear proving very popular.

No tribute to the late, great Mark Jones can go by without a mention of his music.

An ardent Mod, he was a huge fan of The Jam and knew just about everything about the band who rocked the world between 1977-82.

His favourite live band was the great Dr Feelgood, while he also adored a few obscure acts some of you may not have heard of, including Playn Jayn, Le Mat and Genesis P-Orridge and Throbbing Gristle.

Mark was heavily into the 1970’s punk and new wave scene, getting to see many of the era’s finest bands live. He greatly admired The Stranglers and it was perhaps comforting that Mark left us on the same day drummer Jet Black joined the great gig in the sky.

Our friend also exited the stage just a couple of weeks after one of his major heroes, Wilko Johnson, entered the greats of heaven.

What will I miss most about Mark? Now there’s a question…..

His brilliant company, great conversations on a plethora of subjects, that trademark dry sense of humour, kindness and selflessness, caring nature, straight talking, stunning knowledge of so many things and an amazing ability to make bad situations seem not so bad with a few assuring words.

Each day since he passed, I’ve been repeatedly hearing snippets of news or thinking of quips and saying to myself ‘I’ll have to tell Mark that’ – I expect this will occur for a long time to come.

There will never be another Mark Jones. He was a one-off. It’s been a privilege to be his friend for almost 30 years and he will never be forgotten.

People come, people go, but Mark was always there. He will never leave my heart and it is devastating having to accept I won’t see or speak to him again.

For the first time in my life, I really do wish Randall and Hopkirk were for real!

Thank you Mark Jones – the best friend a person could ever have.

Funeral arrangements:

Wednesday 21st December at 10.00am
Denbighshire Memorial Park and Crematorium
Glascoed Road
Saint Asaph
LL17 0LG
No dress code – your company to celebrate Mark’s life needs no formailty.
Followed by Bacon and Sausage Baps and Refreshments at St Melyd Golf Club, The Paddock, Prestatyn LL19 8NB.
Please message Yvette on Facebook if you are able to attend either the funeral and or wake so she can pass on anticipated numbers.
Donations in lieu of floral tributes will be gratefully received, in Mark’s name, to the Pet Rescue, Dyserth and The Sepsis Trust.
Peter Roberts Funeral Directors, Pretatyn for enquiries 01745 857888