John Jeffers

John Joseph Jeffers (born 5 October 1968) is an English former footballer. A left-winger, he scored 17 goals in 240 league appearances in a 12-year career in the Football League.

For the California poet born John Robinson Jeffers, see Robinson Jeffers. For the Wisconsin politician, see John Jeffers (politician).

John Jeffers

Personal information
Full name	John Joseph Jeffers[1]
Date of birth	(1968-10-05) 5 October 1968[1]
Place of birth	Liverpool, England[1]
Playing position(s)	Left-winger
Youth career
1984–1986	Liverpool
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1986–1988	Liverpool	0	(0)
1988–1995	Port Vale	180	(10)
1995	→ Shrewsbury Town (loan)	3	(1)
1995–1997	Stockport County	57	(6)
1997–1998	Hednesford Town
Total		240+	(17+)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He began his career with Liverpool in October 1986, but never made a first team appearance before he was sold on to Port Vale in February 1989 for a £30,000 fee. He helped the "Valiants" to win promotion out of the third tier in 1989 and 1993–94. Loaned out to Shrewsbury Town in January 1995, he was allowed to join Stockport County in November 1995. He helped the "Hatters" to win promotion out of the Second Division and to reach the semi-finals of the League Cup in 1996–97. In October 1997, he moved into non-league football with Hednesford Town, before retiring from professional football at the end of the season.

Playing career

Jeffers turned professional at Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool in October 1986, but was never able to provide too much first team competition for John Barnes, and never featured at Anfield. He was loaned out to Port Vale as cover for the injured Paul Atkinson in December 1988; he was recalled by the "Reds" in February 1989 but was snapped up by Vale the next month for £30,000.[1] He featured in 15 Third Division games in the 1988–89 season, and featured in all four play-off games, including both legs of the play-off final victory over Bristol Rovers.[1] He scored his first league goal on 4 November 1989, in a 2–1 defeat to Oxford United at Vale Park.[1] He played a total of 46 games in the 1989–90 season, as the "Valiants" posted a top-half finish in the Second Division.[1] He scored twice in 36 games during the 1990–91 campaign, but started to become plagued by abdominal injuries from March onwards.[1] He scored three goals in 38 appearances in the 1991–92 season, as the "Valiants" suffered relegation in last place.[1] He scored twice in 34 games in the 1992–93 season, but did not feature at Wembley either in the League Trophy Final win over Stockport County or the play-off Final defeat to West Bromwich Albion.[1] He did though help John Rudge's side to win promotion with a second-place finish in the 1993–94 campaign; they finished just one point behind champions Reading.[1] He lost his first team place in the 1994–95 season, as Vale posted a 17th-place finish in the second tier (known as the First Division due to the creation of the Premier League).[1]

Jeffers went on a one-month loan to Fred Davies's Shrewsbury Town in January 1995, and featured in three Second Division games at Gay Meadow. In August 1995, he had a trial with Second Division Stockport County, before he was allowed to join the club on a free transfer in November 1995. Dave Jones's County finished just three points outside the play-offs in 1995–96, with Jeffers playing 23 league games. He scored three goals in 34 league and eight League Cup appearances in the 1996–97 season, as he helped the "Hatters" to win promotion as runners-up; they finished just two points behind champions Bury. The club also reached the semi-finals of the League Cup, defeating Chesterfield, Sheffield United, Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United and Southampton on the way. In the semi-finals, they lost 2–0 to Middlesbrough at Edgeley Park, and exited the competition despite managing a 1–0 win at the Riverside Stadium. Despite these successes, he joined Conference club Hednesford Town in October 1997, and then left Keys Park and retired at the close of the 1997–98 season.

Style of play

Jeffers was an entertaining but inconsistent winger.[2]

Statistics

Source:[3][4]

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Other		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Liverpool	1987–88	First Division	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Port Vale	1988–89	Third Division	15	0	0	0	5	0	20	0
	1989–90	Second Division	40	1	2	0	4	1	46	2
	1990–91	Second Division	31	2	2	0	3	0	36	2
	1991–92	Second Division	33	3	1	0	4	0	38	3
	1992–93	Second Division	26	2	4	0	3	0	33	2
	1993–94	Second Division	25	1	5	0	5	0	35	1
	1994–95	First Division	10	1	1	0	0	0	11	1
	Total		180	10	15	0	24	1	219	11
Shrewsbury Town (loan)	1994–95	Second Division	3	1	0	0	2	0	5	1
Stockport County	1995–96	Second Division	23	3	3	0	0	0	26	3
	1996–97	Second Division	34	3	2	0	11	0	47	3
	Total		57	6	5	0	11	0	73	6
Career total			240	17	20	0	37	1	297	18

Honours

Port Vale

• Football League Third Division play-off winner: 1989[5]
• Football League Second Division runner-up: 1993–94[2]

Stockport County

• Football League Second Division runner-up: 1996–97

References

1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 151. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
2. "Cult Hero 17: John Jeffers". onevalefan.co.uk. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
3. John Jeffers at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
4. John Jeffers at Soccerbase
5. Kent, Jeff (1989). Port Vale Promotion Chronicle 1988-1989: Back to Where We Once Belonged!. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-3-9.