OLDHAM Athletic have confirmed the appointment of Francis Jeffers as first-team coach. 

The 41-year-old will also oversee the implementation and running of the proposed B team, that is aimed at bridging the gap between the club’s academy and first team.

Jeffers has an established record as a youth coach, and worked alongside David Unsworth in Everton’s academy.

More recently he was part of the first-team staff at Ipswich Town.

On the appointment of Jeffers, Unsworth said: “Franny is someone I’ve worked with very closely before and he is an outstanding coach. 

“He first came into the academy at Everton as a striker coach and developed a real niche for working specifically with forwards and improving their all-round game. 

“He then became an Under 23 coach and had a terrific period at Ipswich, who really wanted to keep him. He will also double-up and take our B-team, which will be key to developing our younger players. 

“The step between our academy and the first-team is too big at the moment and I’ve been championing the introduction of a B-team to help bring our players on much more quickly. 

“He’s very passionate, it a top-class coach and we’re very lucky to have him on board.” 

Jeffers began his playing career at Everton, breaking into the first-team at the end of the 1998/99 season, scoring six goals in 14 games. 

He went on to average a goal every two games in his second full season at Goodison Park.

His performances convinced Arsenal boss, Arsene Wenger, to sign Jeffers for £8 million, but his time at Highbury was dogged by injuries. 

Jeffers made his only appearance for England during his time at Arsenal, scoring against Australia in a friendly, before returning to Everton on loan in 2003. 

Jeffers played for a number of clubs after leaving Arsenal, including Charlton, Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday, but struggled to recapture his early Everton form.

After retiring in 2013, Francis started coaching at Everton’s academy, and became a coach under Unsworth in 2018.  He left Everton in 2021 to join Paul Cook’s coaching staff at Ipswich and now joins Latics as part of the new backroom set-up.