From Arsenal icons Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira to England superstars Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand, former Everton striker Francis Jeffers shared the pitch with some of the greatest players in Premier League history during his 16-year professional career.
Known for his sharp movement and clinical finishing, Jeffers was once regarded as one of England’s brightest attacking prospects after bursting onto the scene as a teenager at Goodison Park, where he made his Premier League debut as a teenager and scored 17 top-flight goals in his first four seasons.
His promising form earned him a high-profile move to Arsenal in 2001 and, although his career never reached the heights many had expected, the one-cap England international still managed to win three major trophies during his time at Highbury, including the Premier League title in the 2001/02 season.
While his impact at Arsenal was limited – he made just 22 top-flight appearances across two seasons – Jeffers once praised a former teammate for playing a far more influential role in Arsene Wenger’s first-team squad, calling him 'the glue who made all the world-class players stick together'.
Arsene Wenger during his Arsenal days, silhouette of Francis Jeffers (Arsenal), Highbury (Arsenal's old story) as background with Arsenal badge visible Related
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Francis Jeffers Praises Ray Parlour
'He was the one who always worked harder than most'
Ray Parlour represented Arsenal with distinction for more than a decade
Speaking to Sky Sports in 2015, Jeffers named Ray Parlour among the best players he ever played alongside, describing the former England midfielder as 'the one who always worked harder than most':
“He was like the glue who made all the world-class players stick together, he was the one who always worked harder than most and that is why he was always in Arsene [Wenger]'s team most weeks. Top drawer.”
Jeffers featured alongside Parlour on 16 occasions during his time at Arsenal and lost only twice, including their first match together, a 1-0 defeat to Mallorca in the 2001/02 Champions League group stage.
Parlour, who came through Arsenal’s youth system, became one of the Gunners’ most dependable and hard-working midfielders during his 12-year spell at Highbury, making 465 appearances between 1992 and 2004 and registering 60 goal contributions.
The former 10-cap England international played a key role in Arsenal’s double-winning campaigns in 1997-98 and 2001-02, with his versatility allowing him to operate in various midfield roles under Wenger and complement the likes of Vieira and Robert Pires.
One of Parlour’s most memorable moments came in the 2002 FA Cup final, when he scored a stunning long-range opener against Chelsea early in the second half, before Freddie Ljungberg added a second to seal a 2-0 victory.
Parlour also featured in Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ season in 2003/04, making 25 league appearances, before departing for Middlesbrough the following summer.
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Statistics courtesy ofTransfermarkt. Correct as of 26-06-25.