Buzzin Championship Football

Francis Jeffers’ career has been spiralling downhill ever since leaving Everton. The once prodigious £9 million man finds himself battling constant fitness problems to make the bench for Sheffield Wednesday.

Perhaps now it is Jeffers last chance to save a career that promised so much potential.

Francis Jeffers has never reached his ‘fox in the box’ status after bursting onto the scene with his boyhood club, Everton. After scoring an impressive 18 goals in 49 appearances for Everton over a three-year spell he was subsequently sold to Arsenal and a very impressed Arsene Wenger.

At Arsenal, he was limited to 22 appearances whilst scoring a mere four goals. He later had infamous spells with Charlton Athletic, Rangers, Blackburn Rovers, and Ipswich Town before settling down with the Owls.

He joined Sheffield Wednesday for £700,000 last summer and in that time he has only played 12 games and scored only two goals, as numerous injuries has hampered him making any real contribution.

Jeffers was brought to replace fans favourite Steve MacLean as he moved on to Cardiff City before moving south to join Plymouth Argyle.  The current number 9 has been submitted to much criticism resulting from his bad form and lack of goals. Sheffield Wednesday fans believe Jeffers lacks commitment and has no urgency to regain a starting place.

His return to action this season resulted in a 25-minute cameo substitute appearance in a 6-0 defeat to Reading, hardly making any significant impact.  He also made a ten-minute appearance against former club Ipswich Town.

For the England under 21’s side, he scored 13 goals in 16 games, equalling Alan Shearer’s record, making him hugely popular in the England scene.

He went on to play only once as a full international when he scored against Australia in England’s embarrassing 3-1 defeat. A night fondly remembered for Sven Goran Eriksson making 11 changes at half time, and the introduction of a certain Wayne Rooney’s international career.

Francis Jeffers never had a chance again as Wenger lost faith in his ability, and he was quickly ushered out of Arsenal back to Everton, and this damaged his reputation and more importantly his confidence.

Injury has played a huge role in his mentality and with a run of successive games, his confidence may build up and the Wednesday fans may see some glimpses of that ‘fox in the box’ potential.

His approach play is still there and you cannot lose the talent to score goals overnight therefore, he must have something. He can score goals and can make a name for himself in the Championship but he needs to be mentality and physically in a good shape to be a success.

Brian Laws has reinstated his frustration that Jeffers is not match fit and the fact that he will not be for a while. Surely, it is up to Jeffers to make sure his career does not look a big embarrassment and be remembered as an expensive flop.