Everton's Latest Signing Jermaine Beckford
After a dismal season on the pitch with almost all their attacking players injured at one time, Everton football club have pulled off a transfer bargain of the season with the signature of Leeds United’s Jermaine Beckford. David Moyes bolstered his side’s attacking impetus with the signing of Beckford on a four year contract for an undisclosed amount of fee.
So what exactly do we know about the lanky striker apart from seeing him making a mockery of Vidic at Old Trafford to dump Manchester United out of the FA Cup in the fourth round last season.
Standing 6feet two inches tall in his socks, Jermaine Beckford was born on the 9th of December 1983 in West London town of Ealing. He plays as a striker for Leeds but is also capable of playing out wide on either wing, making him a versatile commodity any side would love to have.
Beckford progressed through the youth ranks of Chelsea football club, along with Carlton Cole who plays for West Ham United, but did not manage to graduate to the first team. He was released by the club in 2003 and was picked by non-league side Wealdstone, where he used to work as a windscreen fitter for the RAC during the daytime.
His prolific form for the stones which saw him score 54 goals from 82 appearances attracted attention from all and sundry and he even had a trail for Crystal Palace, where he scored 35 goals in 40 matches but Leeds United hijacked the move to take the striker to Elland Road for 45 thousand Pounds only.
Ironically enough Beckford made his league debut for Leeds against Crystal Palace but failed to impress the management and was off loaded to Carlisle on loan, where despite netting a debut goal he only managed 4 more appearances before making a return back to Leeds.
Later that season he was again loaned to league one side Scunthorpe, where his 8 goals in 18 matches helped his team secure the League 1 title.
In August 2007, he scored his first competitive goal for Leeds and didn’t look back from there going on to score 21 times in 40 matches for the Elland road outfit. He cemented his cult status at the club when talking about a possible move to Derby County, he replied with the immortal line "What shirt am I wearing, bruv? You being serious?"
2007-08 was a breakthrough season for Beckford where he scored a staggering 32 goals in 40 starts for the club including three hat tricks. Beckford time at Leeds has not been short of any controversy despite his gluttony for goals. Beckford almost left Elland road with 12 months remaining on his contract when he refused to sign a contract extension over wage demands. Later that season he was forced to apologize to Simon Grayson, his then manager at Leeds, after putting in a transfer request which was later withdrawn, it appeared much later that the toons were after his signature.
Although his promotion securing goal on the last day of the season against Bristol Rovers is one of his greatest moments but the striker feels that his solitary strike in the FA Cup third round tie against Manchester United at Old Trafford is the pinnacle of his career. It is where he ousted Sir Alex’s side out of the competition in the third round only for the first time in tournament’s 128 year old history.
Along with League one and championship tiles Beckford has won a host of awards during his time at Leeds including two League one Player of the year titles and PFA’s fans player of the year in 2009.
Beckford’s ability to hit the net is undeniable as his record proves but will the lanky striker be able to emulate his feats at the Goodisson Park only remains to be seen.
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