Nostalgia: FA Cup weekend hero was quite a hit in his one and only season with Wrexham
At the age of 45 and having changed clubs a remarkable 51 times in a 28-year football career, Jefferson Louis proved he can still turn on the magic at the weekend.
Ultimate journeyman Louis appeared on the scoresheet for level 8 Southern League Division One Central club Thame United, where he is player-coach, in a 3-0 extra preliminary round FA Cup victory against Aylesbury United on Saturday.
Next up is another home tie in the preliminary round against Beaconsfield Town from a division above on August 14.
Louis’ much-travelled career included an impressive stint at Wrexham AFC in 2008-09, the North Wales club’s first season in the Conference National following their relegation from the Football League.
Grassroots North Wales’ Dave Jones recalls interviewing Louis early in that campaign about his productive early weeks at the Racecourse.
Jefferson Louis – a plus point in a disappointing first Conference National season for Wrexham
It was almost 16 years ago that I interviewed journeyman striker Jefferson Louis.
At that stage of his career, he was aged 29 and Wrexham had just become his 19th football club.
It was September 2008 and the Harrow-born front man had made a flying start for the Dragons, whose 87-year stay in the Football League had ended the previous season.
Now began the tough task of bouncing back up from the Conference National – something that would take 15 long seasons to achieve.
Wrexham’s manager at the start of 2008-09, former Aston Villa and England striker Brian Little, needed a strong and experienced group of players to deliver a promotion challenge.
Louis fitted the bill, having had Football League experience with Oxford United, Bristol Rovers and Mansfield Town before arriving at the Racecourse on June 1, 2008.
And the London-raised striker was soon finding the net, notching seven in his first nine games.
While Louis’ form was good, overall team results were not as impressive, and when I spoke to him he stressed the need for more consistency.
“It’s been as good a start to the season for me as I’ve ever had, but it’s not just about me, it’s all about getting Wrexham back into the Football League,” he said.
“I feel we should be higher in the table than we are at this point.”
Very friendly, well-spoken and knowledgeable, I thought I’d ask Louis if he had ever had the nickname Airplane or Starship imposed on him?
“No,” was his answer, uttered in a somewhat mystified manner.
With Wrexham languishing in mid-table, manager Little departed the Racecourse in October 2008 to be replaced by former Wales and Premier League striker Dean Saunders.
Louis continued to perform well for the rest of the season, scoring 15 goals in 42 league outings and 18 in 48 across all competitions.
Indeed, his scoring stats for Wrexham were the best of his career to that point and this has largely remained the case ever since.
Nonetheless, his contact with the Dragons was terminated by mutual consent and he joined Crawley Town on May 24, 2009.
Fast forward to August 2024 and Louis has played for a total of 42 clubs.
He is in his third spell with Oxfordshire club Thame United and has had two stints with Woking, Maidenhead United, Weymouth, Brackley Town, Chesham United, Risborough Rangers and Beaconsfield Town.
Louis has played in 858 matches across leagues and cups since 2000-01, scoring 285 goals (up to and including Aug 3, 2024).
He also has one international cap for Dominica, an island country in the Caribbean, featuring in a 1-0 World Cup qualifying defeat against Barbados in March 2008.
I wonder how he feels now as he sees Wrexham finally return to the Football League and win promotion to League One in their first season?
It was a very different story when Louis was at the Racecourse, but he will be remembered with affection by many Wrexham fans.
JEFFERSON LOUIS – CLUB CAREER
42 CLUBS – 51 MOVES
1 Risborough Rangers (2 spells)
2 Thame United (3 spells)
3 Aylesbury United
4 Oxford United
5 Woking (2 spells)
6 Gravesend and Northfleet
7 Forest Green Rovers
8 Bristol Rovers
9 Hemel Hempstead Town
10 Lewes
11 Worthing
12 Stevenage Borough
13 Eastleigh
14 Yeading
15 Havant and Waterlooville
16 Weymouth (2 spells)
17 Maidenhead United (2 spells)
18 Mansfield Town
19 Wrexham
20 Crawley Town
21 Rushden and Diamonds
22 Gainsborough Trinity
23 Darlington
24 Hayes and Yeading United
25 Brackley Town (2 spells)
26 Lincoln City
27 Newport County
28 Whitehawk
29 Hendon
30 Margate
31 Lowestoft Town
32 Wealdstone
33 Staines Town
34 Oxford City
35 Banbury United
36 Chesham United (2 spells)
37 Farnborough
38 Hampton and Richmond Borough
39 St Albans City
40 Beaconsfield Town (2 spells)
41 North Leigh
42 Slough Town