After 28 years & 51 moves Louis finally retires

BBC News

04-06-2025

Footballing journeyman Jefferson Louis has called time on his long career after 28 years and 51 transfers. The 46-year-old debuted for Risborough Rangers in 1996 at the age of 17, marking the start of a long career in lower-league English football. He has had three spells at Thame United, where he was most recently before retiring.Throughout his career he also spent time at Oxford United, Mansfield Town, Wrexham, Crawley Town, Lincoln City and so many more. "It was a dream for me to become a professional footballer," Louis told BBC Radio Oxford."I played at some great grounds and with some great players, later on I met some lovely people on my travels and that motivated me later in my career."I have a good circle of friends that have really encouraged me to overcome the dark days and strive for more, I've played for a long time and I must be doing something right as I've still to this day had more managers ask me to come play for them."Louis scored 10 goals in 64 appearances for Oxford United and was well remembered for scoring a winning header against Swindon Town in the FA Cup second round in 2002.That goal saw the U's draw his boyhood club Arsenal at Highbury in round three, where they went on to lose 2-0."Before the game (against Swindon) I didn't realise the level of hate between the two sides," Louis said. "I've never heard the Kassam so loud on that day, when I scored it was a great feeling and then after the game it hit me what I had done."And in the next round we got drawn against Arsenal it was a moment I will never forget and I will tell my little boy about, I can't describe deep down how it felt."When we went to Highbury that was so special, I came onto the pitch with both the Oxford and Arsenal fans shouting my name, I won't forget it."
New chapter at Slough Town
Since retiring from the game, Louis has now taken up a coaching role with Slough Town FC and will be their assistant head coach., externalThe Rebels said that he would mainly work with the club's strikers but also provide some valuable mentorship to some of their younger players. Louis previously played for Slough, making five appearances for them between 2022 and 2023. He also had a role as a performance coach at the club in the summer of 2023. "The boots are staying in the closet, I won't play again," Louis added."Aside from showing the guys on the pitch what to do in training I'm going to take a rest from playing."Away from football, Louis does work at a pupil referral centre for school children that have been excluded from schools. He spent a short period of time in prison when he was 22 for dangerous driving."I say to kids that everyone has to make mistakes to learn," Louis said. "I tell them that I've made mistakes and I'm still learning every day because I'm open to it, I've lived it so I can understand them better. "I feel like when I help one child it is like scoring a goal, I feel on top of the world because I want them to live to their true potential and it's important for them to live up to their dream, it's so rewarding for me."