I'm sure you're all familiar by now of Phil Jones' predisposition to pulling absolutely ridiculous faces while on the football field. I, like everyone else, have thought that Phil is the first of his kind in sport. I thought that no player in recent memory has shown such an ability to remould their facial features on a whim like Jones has been able to. I thought wrong...
While researching photos for a post on Cork v Clare matches in years gone by, I discovered a side of Jamesie O'Connor that I never knew. He is the original Phil Jones.
Here's him in 1997, doing a Phil Jones back when the current United defender was only five.
In the same match he further pushed the boundaries of bizarre facial expressions.
A year later Jamesie was at it again. This time against Offaly.
In 2003, he took time out of a match against Kilkenny to pull a John Kenny face.
By 2004, O'Connor had firmly established himself as the forerunner for the most ridiculous faces while taking part in sport. Sorry Phil Jones, you're no trend-setter!
