Former Wrexham striker Jefferson Louis has decided to retire after enjoying the ultimate journeyman career.
Wrexham are flying high under Phil Parkinson and are now preparing for Championship action.
The club has been on an incredible journey since Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds’ takeover, with Parkinson achieving three straight promotions.
Wrexham supporters will still have their heroes from long before the Hollywood takeover, from Carlos Edwards to Andy Morrell, from Joey Jones to Mickey Thomas a little further back.
Jefferson Louis falls into the category of cult hero, having joined Wrexham from Mansfield Town in 2008.
Louis scored 15 goals in 42 games for Wrexham, spending just one season at the club before moving on to Crawley Town.
Jefferson Louis calls time on an incredible career
Louis enjoyed a brief spell at Wrexham but that doesn’t even begin to explain his remarkable career.
By the time Louis arrived at Wrexham at the age of 29, the Dominica international had already played for 18 different clubs.
Louis was already earning a reputation as a journeyman and that only continued after he decided to leave Wrexham.
Louis completed more than 30 transfers after leaving Wrexham, with his final tally standing at 51 transfers – including loans – in a 29-year career.
Now 46, Louis has still been playing for Thame United in Oxfordshire, which was actually one of his first-ever clubs.
This is a fourth spell at Thame United for Louis, but he has now announced on X that his incredible career has come to an end.
Louis admitted his pride at playing for so long, and thanked the many managers he worked with over the course of his career.
‘A young boy that had a dream, and I lived it, but it’s now time to call it a day! To go to the age of 46 is something I’m hugely proud of. Massive thanks to my former managers, teammates and fans that have supported me throughout. Now to give back to the next generation,’ said Louis on X.
A tribute to Jefferson Louis
Few players can continue playing well into their 40s, but Louis has kept his career going in non-league far longer than anybody expected.
There have been so many journeymen strikers over the years; Mickael Antoine-Curier and Trevor Benjamin certainly racked up the clubs.
Richard Paquette also springs to mind, making 38 moves over the course of his long career.
Remarkably, Paquette is also still playing in his 40s – and is actually the cousin of Louis!
These characters are so integral to non-league football and Louis can be so proud of the career he forged for himself.
Wrexham are now aiming for the Premier League and these nomadic strikers are, ultimately, a thing of the past at the STōK Cae Ras.
Louis has certainly earned his cult hero status in non-league football and goes out having written himself into football’s history books as arguably the ultimate journeyman.