redemption

Two months ago questions were raised as to whether Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky would ever play for the club again.

The Czech Republic international endured a nightmare 17 minutes in their Champions League last-16 match against Atletico Madrid in March which saw him concede three goals before being substituted off by then-manager Igor Tudor.

But after making one of the saves of the season to deny Leeds a late winner on Monday – ensuring Tottenham earned a point towards potential Premier League survival – the 23-year-old may just have gone some way to redeeming himself.

Mathys Tel’s 50th-minute strike had put Spurs ahead but the forward conceded a penalty for a high boot on Ethan Ampadu 24 minutes later and Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted from the spot to level at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Both sides probed for a winner in 13 minutes of added time and Leeds thought they had found it in the 99th minute when James Justin played Sean Longstaff through and the midfielder unleashed a powerful strike at the near post from close range.

Enter Kinsky, who stretched to get fingertips to the ball and ensure it clattered off the crossbar and not into the roof of his net.

It is impossible to say how important that save could be come the end of the season but for now it leaves Spurs two points clear of West Ham in the relegation zone with two games remaining.

“That save is one of the saves of the season,” said former Liverpool defender Jamie Carrager on Sky Sports.

“Football is an absolute rollercoaster and who would have thought he would ever play for Tottenham again – and then he does that.

“You would have to have a heart of stone if you weren’t delighted for him. Everyone thought his career was over but that save can be the moment that keeps Tottenham in the Premier League.”

After defeat to Klein in July 2022, Jones and UFC mutually agreed to not sign a new deal.

Reflecting on what alternative path he could have chosen, Jones gave an honest appraisal.

“I remember sitting down in my coach’s office after the whole thing in London because I was in a mess,” he recalled.

“My one coach said to me, ‘Look I think you need to go somewhere else and work with someone else because I don’t think I can give you what you need’.

“I said to him in tears at the time, ‘Please just stick with me, as long as you boys are in my corner I’ll go through anything’.

“They’ve stuck by me since then, and I can’t thank the boys enough.

“As long as those boys are there for me I’ll give them as much as they give me and I couldn’t ask for anyone else to stand by me and help me reach the top.”

For Jones there really was no other possibility than to stick to chasing his UFC dreams.

“I had an acknowledgment on this camp when I was running through the mountains, and I chose this life.

“I know it’s a weird thing to say, but every day I wake up I choose this life.”

Jones admitted the easy thing would have been to go and get a job.

“I could literally at any time just think, no, I’m done, and get a different job that pays on a weekly basis,” he added.

“After I left London I didn’t get paid for two years, I racked up credit card debt, and family members and friends told me to quit.

“I had a family business I could have gone into, done more with school.

“But for me fighting is what’s in my blood and fighting is what I want to do.”