51 moves and going strong at 45 – meet football’s ultimate journeyman
As he gets ready to embark on yet another season, BBC Sport meets Jefferson Louis – football’s ultimate journeyman – who has changed clubs a remarkable 51 times.
Ask Jefferson Louis how many clubs he has played for and he takes a pause before declaring: “I lost count years ago.”
Taking a glance down his list of former clubs, it is not hard to understand why he cannot remember.
Thame United (three spells), Lewes, Weymouth (two spells), Gainsborough Trinity, Darlington, Brackley Town (two spells), Whitehawk, Lowestoft Town, Staines, Oxford United, Oxford City, St Albans City…the list goes on and on.
Louis is football’s ultimate journeyman, having changed clubs a remarkable 51 times since making his debut for Buckinghamshire club Risborough Rangers 28 years ago.
And at the age of 45, the striker is showing no sign of slowing down.
On Saturday, Louis is set to embark on his 29th season as a player when Oxfordshire club Thame United, where he is player-coach, play in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup.
“I’ve played international football, played against my boyhood club Arsenal and I’m still playing at the age of 45,” he says.
‘I had a light-bulb moment in prison’
England had just hosted Euro ’96 when Louis made his debut for Risborough at the age of 17.
It was the start of an extraordinary career; he would become an iconic figure in lower-league football.
Louis has also played for Forest Green Rovers, Bristol Rovers, Hemel Hempstead Town, Stevenage, Eastleigh, Mansfield Town, Wrexham, Crawley Town, Lincoln City, Newport County and Margate.
There are many more.
“In non-league football, you don’t stay at one club long if you’re not under contract,” adds Louis. “But I must have been doing something right for all these clubs to want me.”
Louis, who has also played for the Caribbean island of Dominica, has faced difficult times. When he was 22, he had a short spell in Woodhill Prison, Milton Keynes, for dangerous driving.
“I had a light-bulb moment in prison,” adds Louis. “It made me realise I needed to do something with my life.”
‘Helping a child more important’
As well as playing for Thame, Louis teaches children who have been excluded from school.
He works in a pupil referral unit where children who are not able to attend an ordinary school are educated.
“I get more satisfaction doing that than scoring,” says Louis. “Helping a child is more important to me.”
On the pitch, Louis’ career highlight came in 2003 at the age of 23.
The lifelong Arsenal fan, who has a Gunners tattoo on his leg, scored the winner against Swindon to book Oxford United an FA Cup third-round tie against his heroes at Highbury.
Louis’ love of Arsenal was highlighted in the media before the tie.
“The coach pulled up outside Highbury and the main man was waiting,” he recalls.
“Arsene Wenger was there as we walked through the doors to shake my hand. I couldn’t believe it.”
Oxford lost 2-0 but Louis left Highbury with Robert Pires’ shirt – a souvenir he cherishes to this day.
He still craves one last FA Cup run before he hangs up his boots.
Standing in Thame United’s way this weekend are Aylesbury United – one of Louis’ many, many former clubs.
“You have to grasp the opportunities that fall your way,” he says. “Have no regrets. That’s what I am always telling younger people.”
