Vincent Peter "Vinnie" Jones (born 5 January 1965) is a British actor and former professional footballer who played as a midfielder from 1984 to 1999 notably for Wimbledon, Leeds United, Sheffield United and Chelsea.

Born in Watford, Hertfordshire, Jones represented and captained the Welsh national football team, having qualified via a Welsh grandparent. As a member of the "Crazy Gang", he won the 1988 FA Cup Final with Wimbledon, a club for which he played well over 200 games during two spells between 1986 and 1998. He also played for Chelsea, Leeds United, Sheffield United and Queens Park Rangers. Jones was a defensive midfielder who was especially noted for his very aggressive style of play, earning him a "hard man" image on the field.

Since his retirement from football, he has capitalised on his tough man image and is now known as an actor for his fiery and towering demeanour, often being typecast into roles as violent criminals and thugs. Jones appeared in Celebrity Big Brother 2010, where he finished in third place behind Dane Bowers and Alex Reid.

Biography

During his football career Jones resided in Dronfield, near Sheffield. Jones married Tanya Terry (born 1966) in 1994 in Watford. She has a daughter by her first husband, footballer Steve Terry. Jones's son joined the British Army, completing his training in August 2008, and serves in the Life Guards. Jones is an outspoken supporter of the Conservative Party, stating “I am very proud of being British, very pro the monarchy and very Conservative.”