Alick Jeffrey
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 29 January 1939 | ||
| Place of birth | Rawmarsh, England | ||
| Date of death | 22 November 2000 (aged 61) | ||
| Place of death | Doncaster, England | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1954–1957 | Doncaster Rovers | 71 | (34) |
| 1959 | Skegness Town | 1 | (0) |
| 1961 | Sydney Prague | ? | (?) |
| 1962 | Auburn | ? | (?) |
| 1962–1963 | Skegness Town | ? | (?) |
| 1963–1969 | Doncaster Rovers | 191 | (95) |
| 1969–1970 | Lincoln City | 22 | (3) |
| 1970 | Worksop Town | ? | (?) |
| Total | 284 | (132) | |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. | |||
Alick Jeffrey (29 January 1939 – 22 November 2000) was an English professional footballer who played as a striker. Jeffrey made nearly 300 appearances in the Football League, scoring over 100 goals.
Career
Born in Rawmarsh, Jeffrey made his senior debut for Doncaster Rovers in 1954, at the age of just 15. Jeffrey had agreed a move to Manchester United when he sustained a badly broken leg playing for England U23 v France in October 1956. He was forced to retire due to that injury in January 1959. He received compensation from the FA because his injury was sustained whilst on International duty. However, he then met the former Sweden International Manager George Raynor (who became manager of the non-League side Skegness Town F.C.) and who assisted Jeffrey in being able to play again, despite his former injuries. Unfortunately, an attempted come back with Skegness in August 1959, ended when he broke his leg again on his debut. Jeffrey then moved to Australia, and began his long road back to professional football with Sydney Prague in 1961 and Auburn in 1962. Later that same year, he returned to England to play non-league football with Skegness Town F.C. before finally returning to professional football with Doncaster Rovers in December 1963, where he made in his debut in a reserve team game in front of almost 4,000 supporters (more than normally watched the first team!). He was the most complete forward - scoring goals with either foot and also a phenomenal header of the ball. He could also play deeper and hit superb long passes all over the field. Jimmy Murphy, the ex Manchester United Assistant Manager, called Jeffrey the "English Pele". He was one of the most exciting players of the 50s and 60s and certainly the best player ever to don a Doncaster Rovers shirt.
He also played in the Football League with Lincoln City, before playing non-league football with Worksop Town in 1970.
Legacy
The road around the Doncaster Rovers stadium opened in 2006 was named Alick Jeffrey Way.[1]
References
- ↑ "Thousands attend opening of Doncaster's new Community Sports Complex". Doncaster Council e-news online. Retrieved 6 February 2013.