Francis Jeffers
Encyclopedia
Francis Jeffers is an English football striker who currently plays for Newcastle United Jets in the A-League
. In his career Jeffers has played for Barclays Premier League teams Everton and Arsenal. He has one cap for England
, scoring one goal against Australia.
, Merseyside
, Jeffers began his career at Everton
, making his debut as a half-time substitute (for Dave Watson
) on Boxing Day 1997 at Old Trafford
at the age of 16 years 335 days. Showing a lot of early promise and talent, he scored 20 goals in 60 matches for the Toffees. However, after a much publicised row with manager Walter Smith over a pay rise, he was dropped from the team for half a season and subsequently rarely performed as well.
and he signed for Arsenal
in 2001 for £8million – making him one of the club's most expensive signings yet.
However, Jeffers did not live up to the "fox in the box" tag, and his time at Arsenal was dogged by injury. He was forced out of the side by the form of fellow strikers like Thierry Henry
and Sylvain Wiltord
. Arsenal won three trophies during Jeffers' spell at the club. However, Jeffers did not pick up any medals. Arsenal won the FA Cup in 2002
and 2003 but Jeffers was left out of both match day squads. This was despite him contributing to their 2003 triumph by scoring three goals en route to the final, two against Farnborough and one against Chelsea. He also started the semi-final against Sheffield United. Arsenal also won the 2001-02 Premier League title, but Jeffers only played 6 league games that season, meaning he was not eligible for a medal. His final appearance for Arsenal came in the 2003 FA Community Shield
, coming on as a substitute but then getting sent off. Days later he would rejoin Everton on loan.
Francis Jeffers recently came 5th in a poll of favoured Arsenal players by Matthew Spencer of Global-travellers And Pension Guru's Arsenal Supporters Club (GAPGAS Club).
and prematurely returning to London. He was sold for £2.6m to Charlton Athletic
in the summer of 2004. In 2004–05 he scored 5 goals in 24 matches. He joined Rangers
on loan on 31 August 2005 for six months but returned in December after his performances in the Scottish Premier League
failed to live up to expectation. Charlton manager Alan Curbishley
allowed Jeffers' contract to expire at the end of the 2005–06 season.
in June 2006 on a two-year contract. He scored his first and only Blackburn goal in the UEFA Cup against Basle.
He joined Championship side on a one month loan deal in March 2007, scoring his first goal for Ipswich on his full debut away at and receiving the man of the match award. Ipswich went on to win the game 5–2. He returned to Blackburn after suffering a hamstring
injury against Southend United
, but having made a quick recovery, he was allowed to return to Ipswich on loan until the end of the 2006–07 season.
Ipswich had tried to negotiate a permanent move for Jeffers but after having two bids rejected, Ipswich Chairman David Sheepshanks
accused Blackburn of holding his club to ransom. Ipswich did however make a third and final bid for Jeffers but after all the wrangling between the two clubs, personal terms could not be agreed.
, a former fan favourite. Jeffers made his debut in an opening-day 4–1 defeat at Ipswich Town
. He sustained an injury which kept him out of action for all but 20 minutes of the first month of the 2007–08 season.
On returning from injury Jeffers was originally subjected to a level of criticism by some Wednesday fans. However, he managed to wipe away most of that with a 25-yard screamer against Hull City
after flicking the ball on to his strike partner Deon Burton for the lay off. The goal brought an end to a six-game losing streak at the start of the 2007–08 Football League Championship
season.
After a lively start against Stoke City
, Jeffers was on the end of a bad tackle from Ryan Shawcross
and was stretchered off with a broken ankle. He was out for roughly three months, a big blow after he had caused Stoke's defence lots of trouble in his 40 minutes on the pitch, helping Sheffield Wednesday to a 4–2 away win.
Jeffers came back as a substitute versus Hull City, but ended up on the losing side after a 1–0 loss. Just 48 hours later Jeffers played at Hillsborough for the first time in two months, and not only played for 45 minutes of the game, but also scored the winning goal after 82 minutes from the penalty spot. This was Jeffers' second goal for the Owls.
In the summer of 2008, Jeffers had more problems with his ankle and also picked up a groin injury, leaving him injured until September 2008. Jeffers returned to first team action with a twenty five minute substitute appearance in a 6–0 defeat at Reading
in mid September and then a further ten minutes against his former club Ipswich Town. Jeffers bagged his third goal for the Owls on 17 January 2009 in a 4–1 win over Charlton at Hillsborough getting his first goal for the club since New Year's Day 2008, but was sent off in the next game against Nottingham Forest.
On 25 August 2009 Jeffers was sent off for headbutting Port Vale
player Tommy Fraser
during the 2–0 League Cup
defeat. Manager Brian Laws
considered his behaviour unacceptable, fined the player the maximum permissible amount and placed him on the transfer list.
Jeffers was released by the Owls on 3 May 2010 after the club's relegation was confirmed to League One. After being released by Wednesday, Jeffers had a trial at newly promoted Blackpool
. Ian Holloway
wanted to give Jeffers a chance to prove himself but the trial proved to be unsuccessful and he was released. He then returned to Everton – but only to join in with the Toffees’ training at Finch Farm in a bid to keep his fitness levels up.
and Everton
, Jeffers agreed to trial with Australian A-League
side Newcastle United Jets. On 29 October 2010, he signed a 10-match guest contract with the club. He made his debut for the club on 13 November 2010, helping Newcastle to a 3–1 victory over Adelaide United. Jeffers delivered the killer blow, setting up striker Marko Ješić for Newcastle's third goal of the match with a curling, defence-splitting through ball in the 52nd minute.
He scored his first goal on 8 December 2010 against the Melbourne Heart. He then provided an assist as he played a fantastic through ball to Marko Ješić for Newcastle's second. Although Newcastle and Jeffers were both keen on extending his contract, they failed to come to an agreement and Jeffers left the club after making a positive impact.
club Motherwell
. He made his debut coming on as a second half sub for John Sutton
in the 6-0 defeat to former club Rangers
. His first goal for Motherwell came against Aberdeen
on 15 February 2011. Jeffers also scored the third goal in a 3-0 win against Dundee United
in the Scottish Cup
quarter-final replay. Jeffers was released by Motherwell on 1 June 2011.
club Newcastle United Jets marking his return to the club after having previously played for the club during the 2010–11 A-League
season.
, scoring a consolation goal in a defeat by Australia in 2003. Jeffers is the joint, all-time leading scorer for England Under-21s
with 13 goals, a record he shares with Alan Shearer
.
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
. In his career Jeffers has played for Barclays Premier League teams Everton and Arsenal. He has one cap for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, scoring one goal against Australia.
Everton
Born in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, Jeffers began his career at Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, making his debut as a half-time substitute (for Dave Watson
Dave Watson
David "Dave" Watson is an English former professional footballer who made 12 appearances for the English national team. He is now the youth team coach at Newcastle United.-Playing career:...
) on Boxing Day 1997 at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
at the age of 16 years 335 days. Showing a lot of early promise and talent, he scored 20 goals in 60 matches for the Toffees. However, after a much publicised row with manager Walter Smith over a pay rise, he was dropped from the team for half a season and subsequently rarely performed as well.
Arsenal
His performances had caught the eye of Arsène WengerArsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
and he signed for Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in 2001 for £8million – making him one of the club's most expensive signings yet.
However, Jeffers did not live up to the "fox in the box" tag, and his time at Arsenal was dogged by injury. He was forced out of the side by the form of fellow strikers like Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
and Sylvain Wiltord
Sylvain Wiltord
Sylvain Claude Wiltord is a French footballer who currently plays for FC Nantes. With the French national team, Wiltord has won Euro 2000 and reached the final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup....
. Arsenal won three trophies during Jeffers' spell at the club. However, Jeffers did not pick up any medals. Arsenal won the FA Cup in 2002
2002 FA Cup Final
The 2002 FA Cup Final was the final match of the 2001–02 FA Cup competition. It was an all-London affair between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Millennium Stadium on 4 May 2002...
and 2003 but Jeffers was left out of both match day squads. This was despite him contributing to their 2003 triumph by scoring three goals en route to the final, two against Farnborough and one against Chelsea. He also started the semi-final against Sheffield United. Arsenal also won the 2001-02 Premier League title, but Jeffers only played 6 league games that season, meaning he was not eligible for a medal. His final appearance for Arsenal came in the 2003 FA Community Shield
2003 FA Community Shield
The 2003 FA Community Shield was the 81st FA Community Shield, a football match played between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions...
, coming on as a substitute but then getting sent off. Days later he would rejoin Everton on loan.
Francis Jeffers recently came 5th in a poll of favoured Arsenal players by Matthew Spencer of Global-travellers And Pension Guru's Arsenal Supporters Club (GAPGAS Club).
Return to Everton, Charlton and Rangers loan
He returned to Everton for 2003–04 on loan, but only scored twice (with both goals coming against Fulham in the FA Cup, once in the original tie and again in the replay) in 22 appearances for his side, before falling out with manager David MoyesDavid Moyes
David William Moyes is an association football manager and former player, currently managing English Premier League club Everton. He was the 2003, 2005 and 2009 League Managers Association Manager of the Year...
and prematurely returning to London. He was sold for £2.6m to Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
in the summer of 2004. In 2004–05 he scored 5 goals in 24 matches. He joined Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
on loan on 31 August 2005 for six months but returned in December after his performances in the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
failed to live up to expectation. Charlton manager Alan Curbishley
Alan Curbishley
Llewellyn Charles "Alan" Curbishley is an English football manager and former professional player....
allowed Jeffers' contract to expire at the end of the 2005–06 season.
Blackburn Rovers
Jeffers signed for Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
in June 2006 on a two-year contract. He scored his first and only Blackburn goal in the UEFA Cup against Basle.
He joined Championship side on a one month loan deal in March 2007, scoring his first goal for Ipswich on his full debut away at and receiving the man of the match award. Ipswich went on to win the game 5–2. He returned to Blackburn after suffering a hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
injury against Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
, but having made a quick recovery, he was allowed to return to Ipswich on loan until the end of the 2006–07 season.
Ipswich had tried to negotiate a permanent move for Jeffers but after having two bids rejected, Ipswich Chairman David Sheepshanks
David Sheepshanks
David Sheepshanks is the joint-acting Chairman of The FA. He is best known for being the former chairman of Ipswich Town Football Club in the Football League Championship in England....
accused Blackburn of holding his club to ransom. Ipswich did however make a third and final bid for Jeffers but after all the wrangling between the two clubs, personal terms could not be agreed.
Sheffield Wednesday
On 9 August 2007 for a fee believed to be in the region of £700,000 on a three-year deal, and was given the number-9 shirt to take the place of the Scottish footballer Steve MacLeanSteve MacLean (footballer)
Steven George "Steve" MacLean is a Scottish footballer who plays as a striker for Football League One side Yeovil Town.-Early Days:...
, a former fan favourite. Jeffers made his debut in an opening-day 4–1 defeat at Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
. He sustained an injury which kept him out of action for all but 20 minutes of the first month of the 2007–08 season.
On returning from injury Jeffers was originally subjected to a level of criticism by some Wednesday fans. However, he managed to wipe away most of that with a 25-yard screamer against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
after flicking the ball on to his strike partner Deon Burton for the lay off. The goal brought an end to a six-game losing streak at the start of the 2007–08 Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
season.
After a lively start against Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, Jeffers was on the end of a bad tackle from Ryan Shawcross
Ryan Shawcross
Ryan James Shawcross is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Stoke City.He previously was on the books of Manchester United, and had loan spells at Royal Antwerp and Stoke City respectively, before joining the latter permanently during January 2008. He was appointed as Stoke's captain...
and was stretchered off with a broken ankle. He was out for roughly three months, a big blow after he had caused Stoke's defence lots of trouble in his 40 minutes on the pitch, helping Sheffield Wednesday to a 4–2 away win.
Jeffers came back as a substitute versus Hull City, but ended up on the losing side after a 1–0 loss. Just 48 hours later Jeffers played at Hillsborough for the first time in two months, and not only played for 45 minutes of the game, but also scored the winning goal after 82 minutes from the penalty spot. This was Jeffers' second goal for the Owls.
In the summer of 2008, Jeffers had more problems with his ankle and also picked up a groin injury, leaving him injured until September 2008. Jeffers returned to first team action with a twenty five minute substitute appearance in a 6–0 defeat at Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
in mid September and then a further ten minutes against his former club Ipswich Town. Jeffers bagged his third goal for the Owls on 17 January 2009 in a 4–1 win over Charlton at Hillsborough getting his first goal for the club since New Year's Day 2008, but was sent off in the next game against Nottingham Forest.
On 25 August 2009 Jeffers was sent off for headbutting Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
player Tommy Fraser
Tommy Fraser
Thomas Francis Peter "Tommy" Fraser is a professional footballer, who is without a club having departed Barnet in November 2011. A central midfielder, he can also play on the right wing....
during the 2–0 League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
defeat. Manager Brian Laws
Brian Laws
Brian Laws is an English former footballer and manager, most recently of Burnley.Playing as a defender, Laws made over 100 appearances for each of Burnley, Middlesbrough, and Nottingham Forest. In 1994, Laws became player-manager of Grimsby Town before taking a similar position with Scunthorpe...
considered his behaviour unacceptable, fined the player the maximum permissible amount and placed him on the transfer list.
Jeffers was released by the Owls on 3 May 2010 after the club's relegation was confirmed to League One. After being released by Wednesday, Jeffers had a trial at newly promoted Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
. Ian Holloway
Ian Holloway
Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...
wanted to give Jeffers a chance to prove himself but the trial proved to be unsuccessful and he was released. He then returned to Everton – but only to join in with the Toffees’ training at Finch Farm in a bid to keep his fitness levels up.
Newcastle United Jets
After unsuccessful trials at both BlackpoolBlackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
and Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, Jeffers agreed to trial with Australian A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
side Newcastle United Jets. On 29 October 2010, he signed a 10-match guest contract with the club. He made his debut for the club on 13 November 2010, helping Newcastle to a 3–1 victory over Adelaide United. Jeffers delivered the killer blow, setting up striker Marko Ješić for Newcastle's third goal of the match with a curling, defence-splitting through ball in the 52nd minute.
He scored his first goal on 8 December 2010 against the Melbourne Heart. He then provided an assist as he played a fantastic through ball to Marko Ješić for Newcastle's second. Although Newcastle and Jeffers were both keen on extending his contract, they failed to come to an agreement and Jeffers left the club after making a positive impact.
Motherwell
In February 2011 Jeffers joined Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
. He made his debut coming on as a second half sub for John Sutton
John Sutton (footballer)
John William Michael Sutton is an English footballer, currently playing for Heart of Midlothian in the Scottish Premier League...
in the 6-0 defeat to former club Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
. His first goal for Motherwell came against Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
on 15 February 2011. Jeffers also scored the third goal in a 3-0 win against Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
in the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
quarter-final replay. Jeffers was released by Motherwell on 1 June 2011.
Return to Newcastle United Jets
On 20 October 2011, it was announced that he had signed a one year contract with A-LeagueA-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
club Newcastle United Jets marking his return to the club after having previously played for the club during the 2010–11 A-League
2010–11 A-League
The 2010–11 A-League season is the sixth season of the Australian football championship since its establishment in 2004. The home and away season began on 5 August 2010 and concluded on 13 February 2011. The addition of brought the total number of teams to 11...
season.
International career
He has one full cap for EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, scoring a consolation goal in a defeat by Australia in 2003. Jeffers is the joint, all-time leading scorer for England Under-21s
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
with 13 goals, a record he shares with Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
.
International goal
| # | Date:2/2/69 | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 12 February 2003 | Boleyn Ground Boleyn Ground The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:... , London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
External links
- FootballDatabase provides Francis Jeffers's profile and stats
- Another new start for Francis Jeffers – When Saturday ComesWhen Saturday ComesWhen Saturday Comes is a monthly magazine about football, first published in London in 1986. "It aims to provide a voice for intelligent football supporters, offering both a serious and humorous view of the sport, covering all the topics that fans are likely to talk about, whether serious or...
discusses Jeffer's career.