John Jeffers passes away: highly respected Port Vale winger John Jeffers has sadly passed away after a long illness, he was 52 years of age.
A key John Rudge signing, John Jeffers first joined the club on loan from Liverpool in 1988 as cover for the injured Paul Atkinson. It proved another canny move from Rudge as Jeffers helped give the Valiants balance on the left flank and played a key part in the club’s subsequent promotion in 1989.
The move was made permanent for a fee of £30,000 in March 1989. It proved to be a bargain as Jeffers made 219 appearances, scoring eleven times and winning two promotions with the club. A tricky left winger who could easily beat his marker, Jeffers was a crowd favourite and cult figure who was often featured in the legendary Port Vale fanzine The Memoirs of Seth Bottomley. He also enjoyed a memorable return to Anfield where his mazy run against his former club helped set up Port Vale’s dramatic equaliser in their 1992 League Cup draw.
He stayed with Port Vale between 1988 and 1995 before moving on to a two year spell with Stockport County. He also had a loan spell with Shrewsbury Town while at Vale Park. He retired in 1998 after a twelve year footballing career and ended his playing days with 297 appearances and eighteen goals.
RIP John Jeffers. 1968 to 2021. Forever Valiant
John Jeffers 1968-2021 - related content
A collection of articles to mark the sad passing of John Jeffers…
John Jeffers passes away – an obituary
Our report on the sad news contains multiple comments and tributes from Vale fans. Read it here
John Jeffers career in pictures
A selection of our favourite images of the winger from his time at Vale Park. See them here
Team mates react to John Jeffers’ passing
Read the tributes from his former Port Vale team mates in this article
John Jeffers, a Port Vale cult hero
Published before his sad passing, we featured the winger as a Valiants cult hero here
John Jeffers. 1968-2021. RIP. Forever Valiant.
John Jeffers passes away – your tributes and memories
We welcome your comments on the much-loved winger at the bottom of this article.
Very sad news, RIP Jinking John
RIP JJ. You will always be remembered.
R.I.P John. I was lucky enough to have known you when I worked at Edgeley Park. Genuine good guy. Will.be missed.
A quality winger in a great Vale team during a golden era for Port Vale.
Great servant to the club, you will always be fondly remembered and sadly missed. RIP Jinking John!
Wonderful tricky little winger – what a dribbler
Rest in peace , sincere thought to your family and friends
Top friend/boss will be sadly missed by all rip my friend YNWA
Worth the entrance fee to watch Double J at Edgeley Park. Great player. RIP.
So sad jinking Johnny Jeffers. Such an entertainer! Would often beat his marker more than once before crossing the ball!
Totally shocked and gutted, brilliant player, top bloke and a fantastic team mate.always laughing and a proper scouse sense of humour. R.I.P J.J
I only knew John for a short time when I joined the Vale , but he was a lovely lad with a great character and personality to go alongside his undoubted football ability he possessed.
Condolences to his family & friends at this sad , sad time .
RIP John , you brought a smile to the faces of all you met .
Devastated one my best mates
One of the loveliest men i have ever met
And the madest
Love ya john rip mate
So tragically sad. No age to go. RIP JJ I remember sponsoring your kit at the Vale & having my photo taken with you on the pitch. I’ll be raising a glass to you tonight #ynwa
R I P jinking john,stunned you have left the football world so young,but thanks for the memories,and condolances to your family
Grew up with John in the Netherley area of Liverpool. Lovely lad and as a player at that age was just honestly unreal – won games and tournaments single handedly. Very sad indeed. RIP.
Sad day.. JJ was a great lad, great player and very very funny. Thoughts are with his family and they should be very proud of him. RiP pal x
I played with John growing up in Liverpool. Brilliant player on the pitch and a lovely, humble lad off it. Very sad to hear this news. RIP John.
Can’t believe the news about John . We were mates in school and played in the same school team , then Liverpool boys and Merseyside boys . We went all over the country together playing footy .
Then he signed for Liverpool and I signed for Everton . (He was a bit more successful than me)
He was an amazing player . Best ever in my eyes and a great lad too . Thoughts go out to his family tonight.
Peter Cunningham
You were a legend at Port Vale – you’re more than a legend as a friend and teammate- love and miss you always- so devastated- love to nicky and the kids xxx
JJ what a player and even more so what a man, friend and all round good bloke, don’t think I ever saw you without a smile on your face. RIP pal xx
Sad news, another one taken so young and way too soon. Thinking of his family and boys at this difficult time X
RIP John Jeffers, sad news, far too young!
Sorry to see this sad news, enjoyed your fun and jovial character around Port Vale. RIP, at too early
Just heard the sad news of John’s passing! So Shocked and saddened. Played with John for Liverpool boys back 79/80 he was our captain, John was so skillful with the ball and fast as lightning and stood out as a real talent. RIP John was a pleasure to play with you.
RIP in peace a Stockport County legend!
Sad sad news, what a great player, so glad I got the opportunity to watch such a talent at Vale Park, condolences to ur family and friends, taken way too early, will be sadly missed, R.I.P JJ
Thank you for all the genuine honest comments about my idol and big brother John Jeffers. The only player I wanted to be growing up was John Jeffers, however I was not skilfull enough, quick enough , just not good enough, but not many in football were. More importantly he was a genuine, generous sarcastic man, devoted husband to Nicky and such a proud father of John and Gabriel. It is an honour and privilege to have you as a brother and a best friend. Southern comfort will always be r drink bro.
So sad news. Great player and a lovely guy. RIP pal Webby
Deepest sympathy to all John’s family & friends love from all your school friends at Greg’s Netherley. You were so lovely Joanne Rainford & Gina Melia xxx
John was a talented footballer at an early age his footballing talent made it a privilege for my dad to manage him they mutually respected each other he put a smile on my dad’s face on so many occasions he was funny and respected by so many people . In a way I’m glad my dad isn’t here this would have broke his heart the boy grew into a man but never lost touch with the people he loved and the people who loved him it was a privilege to know you John. My prayers and my respects to John and Maria and all his family.
So sad to hear this news. Often played with and against John growing up in Liverpool. He was untouchable. What a great player but always a lovely lad. My thoughts and prayers are with his family!
Went to school with John and was lucky enough to play football with him many times. He was a very talented footballer .more importantly he was a great honest bloke .Will be sadly missed .
Played against John as school boys amateur days and also professionally players he was a class player could dribble the whole team sad loss heart and prayers are with his family RIP John.
R.I.P John thinking of Marie and John and family luv Max and Ste and Family. xxx
So so sad. My dad and my favourite player. So unbelievably skilful and such a lovely person, funny and a real gentleman. Our thoughts and love go out to his family and friends. R.I.P JJ. Xx
Rest in peace John sympathy to his mum dad brother and sister his loverly wife and children we was at st Gregory’s good memories fab footballer xx
Gutted when I heard the news. Grew up, went to school with John and played with him in our school team. Unbelievably talented player who single-handed, won game after game for us. When we’d just have a knockabout as mates, I’d just end up trying to kick him as you just couldn’t get the ball off him. Fantastic friend with a brilliantly sarcastic sense of humour. It was a pleasure to be your mate John. Rest in Peace
I went through my early schooldays playing football with john at st Greg’s although he was younger he was that good he often played in the higher age group and the legion team was the same. Great memories r.i.p. John. Tony Daly and family x
My dad sid Benson took him to Liverpool as a youngster and we heard so much about him he was almost part of the family, I had the good fortune to play with his brother Paul who was a special player but John was magical rest in peace John and love to Paul and all the Jeffers family from John Benson and family XX
Shocked and saddened to hear of John’s passing, announced at L’pool game last week. Lucky enough to play in same secondary school team for a few years and witness first hand some of the amazing goals he scored, often to get us out of the crap. Good lad and a good laugh and brilliant footballer, obviously didn’t change from reading all the tributes from ex Vale players, fans and close friends. Not seen him since secondary school but I know the world’s a poorer place without him. Deepest sympathy to all his family and friends. RIP – John.