'Jeff' graduated from the Newcastle United youth system, having joined his boyhood club from the famous Wallsend Boys Club in 1984.

His only four appearances for Newcastle United came in the season 1986/87 under then manager David McCreery.

Whilst his opportunities were more than just limited at United, he would certainly be much more heavily utilised at his two clubs that followed. Firstly at Preston where he played 166 league games before dropping to the lower divisions and back to his native North East at Gateshead (186 league games).

Between 2007 and 2010 he was an assistant at Gateshead.

His son, Kieran, was also briefly at Newcastle United but failed to break into the first team.