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Raise Your Game: Were you always good at sport at school?

Matt Jones: Without being big headed I'd say yes. I always seemed to pick up awards: Player of the Year, Top Goal Scorer, Player of the Tournament, etc. Someone picked up on my talents and took me away to Leeds.

I travelled the world with football at an early age. I was determined in what I wanted to do because I loved football. It took me away from everything: my family, education, but those sacrifices paid dividends in the end.

RYG: Were you always picked first in games at school?

MJ: I'm afraid so. I was either captain or first to be picked. I wasn't one of those schoolboys that was last in the line. I had enough determination in me to go and succeed, and I think that's why I succeeded at an early age. That's why I picked up all those awards and it continued throughout my career.

RYG: How did you stay on top of your game?

MJ: You don't necessarily need other people to motivate you. All that motivated me was the love of the game. As long as you love what you're doing that's enough motivation to go and give your all every day.

You need inspiration. You need to make sacrifices. You need people there to stand by you. You need education. Motivation wasn't something I needed to be given. I had it inside me. I woke up every day wanting to get out on that pitch and play football because I loved it.

RYG: How did you move from schoolboy level to a Premiership team like Leeds United?

MJ: It was the first time they'd done something like that. I was 14-years-old at the time and they took me away from South Wales to Leeds. I'd decided that I wanted to sign for Leeds United. I had a choice of clubs to go to, but I just felt that Leeds United was the place to go. Howard Wilkinson was there at the time. He had so many ideas for the future and the youngsters coming through.

It was a fantastic experience. I was quite young and naïve - I didn't realise what I was doing. I was going to live a dream and that's what it was. I was given a fantastic opportunity and I grasped it with both hands.

RYG: What happened once you got there?

MJ: You're given professional advice and you're trained in the right way. That move made me what I was. I moved with another youngster from West Wales. We were the same age and he returned home within three months because he was homesick. He gave up his opportunity but moved back to Leeds at the age of 17. We were doing our YTS scholarship by that time. I was on the verge of playing in the 1st team.

I had the opportunity to get all that knowledge under my belt in those three years. By the time I was 17, when I should have been doing my YTS scholarship, I was given a professional contract and was playing against some of the World's greatest footballers in the Premiership.

RYG: How did you cope with that pressure at 17-years-old?

MJ: I didn't think of it as pressure to be honest. It's something you love doing. As long as you love what you're doing that should be enough to spur you on and give you motivation. I had the desire and hunger to succeed. I believe that you get out what you put in. If you put 100% into something you'll have 100% success.

RYG: Did your school support you in trying to become a footballer?

MJ: Yes. I come from Llanelli in South Wales which is a big rugby place. The school I attended was very football orientated and the gym teacher loved his football. That benefitted me. I wanted to succeed in football and no-one was going to tell me any different. I went for it and had support from my schoolteachers, family and friends. I didn't need anything else.

RYG: Did you always turn up for training?

MJ: Definitely. I got there early and I was late going home.

RYG: Who were your sporting heroes when you were growing up?

MJ: Gary Lineker because I supported Tottenham Hotspur as a youngster. I loved Gazza as well. I wanted to be Paul Walsh and then I wanted to be Eric Cantona. My heroes changed on a weekly basis really.

RYG: How important was discipline in your early footballing career?

MJ: At Leeds we had a wonderful lecturer, Paul Heart. He's known across the country for bringing successful youth academies through the system. The Leeds United academy was a success because of the discipline. In many ways it was like an army camp. We had to be clean shaven and have new, tidy clothes.

You'd have breakfast in the morning and then you'd clean the boots. You'd clean the water bottles and make sure all the physio strappings were clean and tidy. The YTS scheme is very intense and you need discipline before you even think about attempting it.

RYG: Playing for Wales must have been a highlight in your career?

MJ: Definitely. One of the biggest achievements in my career was playing for my country. Once you've reached international level it's a different ball game altogether. Not necessarily in the way you play but the surroundings.

When you play at club level you're meeting Australians, French and Italian guys. When you come to Wales everyone is on the same level, everyone is Welsh, everyone knows the National Anthem. everyone knows what 'shwmae' means, little things like that.

The team spirit and the camaraderie in the Welsh camp is really special. Even now I go to visit the Welsh team and it's still the same. They were wonderful experiences. I've got so many memories it would take a lifetime for me to go over them all.

RYG: Can you remember your first game for Wales?

MJ: My debut for Wales was out in Quatar. I'd mixed with the first team already because I'd been involved in the under-21s. They've got a great set-up in Wales because they combine them both. Before you make that big step up you already know the players.

When I made my debut it was fantastic. We ended up winning 1-0. I hit the post from 30 yards out. It was the best experience of my life. I didn't care where it was. When I had that red shirt on I wore it with pride.

RYG: What makes a good team player?

MJ: Someone that's willing to go out there and work for the team. I always considered myself a team captain. You need 11 leaders and 11 captains. Everyone needs to be proud and take responsibility for their performance but you also have to look around and ask 'Who else can I help? Who else can I encourage?'

RYG: Did you have a routine before games?

MJ: I did. I always used to clean my own football boots. That was a ritual for me throughout the week. I'm a bit of a perfectionist so they had to be gleaming. I'd put on shoe polish, Vaseline and then hairspray. They had to be shining... even the studs.