August 10 - Fox on the Rocks

AS PORTSMOUTH and Manchester United get the ball rolling on another season of Premier League action in today’s Community Shield, we thought we’d take you back the 2003 curtain raiser when Man United took on Arsenal at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Manchester United ended up pipping the Gunners to the trophy, winning in a penalty shoot-out after the two sides drew 1-1. The game was notable for marking the end of Francis Jeffers’ Arsenal career, as Arsene Wenger realised that he had made his biggest boo-boo in the transfer market.

Jeffers arrived at Highbury in 2001 as Wenger answered his transfer market critics by buying British to secure the ‘fox in the box’ that would bring yet more trophies his way.

Bursting onto the scene at Everton, Jeffers scored 20 goals in his first 60 games and became a mainstay of the England Under-21 side. Wenger signed up the young scouser for £7m, but after a couple of years of injury and a distinct lack of cunning in the box Wenger was wishing he hadn’t bothered and sent his scouts back out onto the continent.

Wenger brought Jeffers on as a 60th minute substitute in the clash with Premiership winners Manchester United and after 12 minutes of running around the penalty area Jeffers was red-carded after he petulantly kicked out at Phil Neville.

Jeffers was soon dispatched back on loan to Everton for the season but failed to find the net in 18 Premiership appearances. He then got his journeyman on, with spells at Charlton, Rangers and Ipswich Town, only managing a grand total of seven goals over the next three seasons.

For some reason Sheffield Wednesday still thought he was worth a punt and paid £700,000 for his services. After scoring a 25-yard screamer on his debut against Hull to end Wednesday’s six-game losing streak at the start of the last season, he returned to his usual ways, struggling with injury and only scoring once more that year.

See Jeffers finest moment below, when he scored on his one and only England game. Have a look at how OTFD rolled this time last year here and make sure you’re back here so we can help you get over those Monday morning blues.

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