John Jeffers

Port Vale

Jeffers attended St Francis Xavier's and had a trial with England Boys. He turned professional at Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool upon completion of his Youth Training Scheme 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 brought back to Port Vale permanently the next month for a fee of £30,000 and 6% sell-on clause. Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion were also keen to sign him, but Jeffers was won over by Vale chairman Bill Bell's offer of a new Austin Montego. To fund the transfer Rudge sold Steve Harper to Preston North End for £35,000. 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. He scored his first league goal on 4 November 1989, in a 2–1 defeat to Oxford United at Vale Park. He played a total of 46 games in the 1989–90 season, as the "Valiants" posted a top-half finish in the Second Division. Jeffers scored twice in 36 games during the 1990–91 campaign but started to become plagued by abdominal injuries from March onward. He scored three goals in 38 appearances in the 1991–92 season, as the "Valiants" suffered relegation in last place. He was sent home from pre-season training at the University of…

Jeffers was a skilful and entertaining, though inconsistent winger. His talent made him a cult hero at Port Vale, where he was known as 'Jinking Johnny', though he could be prone to overplaying rather than delivering timely crosses.

"We would go into training and, no word of a lie, JJ could dribble past you, put it through your legs, go around the other side and dribble past you again. It was ridiculous skill. He was quick, he could cross, he could dribble and score and in big games he came up with big moments for us... He was brilliantly balanced, had lovely skill, a beautiful left foot and could beat people just with his shimmy. He didn't have to do much, just shake his shoulders and you would be running the opposite way."

After retiring as a player, Jeffers wrote a column for the Liverpool Echo and worked in car financing, setting up his own company in Wallasey. He was the best man at Andy Porter's wedding. Jeffers died on 19 January 2021, aged 52, following a long illness. He had two sons: John and Gabriel. Francis Jeffers was his younger cousin.

Port Vale

Football League Third Division play-offs: 1989 Football League Second Division second-place promotion: 1993–94 Stockport County

Football League Second Division second-place promotion: 1996–97