2007 Leeds United striker signing was the definition of an EFL journeyman: View | OneFootball

Leon Constantine joined Leeds United after their relegation to League One in 2007

The summer of 2007 was a tumultuous time for Leeds United, and they were preparing for life in League One with some well-documented financial issues.

The side from Elland Road had been relegated from the Championship at the end of the 2006/07 season after finishing bottom thanks to a 10-point deduction, and things continued to get worse over the summer months.

They were put up for an expulsion vote, which meant they could have been thrown out of the Football League, but clubs voted for Leeds to retain their league status but to be subjected to a 15-point deduction.

With the off-field issues, and relegation to League One, Leeds saw a huge turnover of players, and were forced to bring in players on free transfers and loans.

One of those players brought in was Port Vale striker Leon Constantine, who was coming off the back of an impressive 2006/07 League One season after scoring 22 goals, but it's fair to say that he didn't have the same luck at Elland Road.

EFL journeyman Leon Constantine struggled for form at Leeds United

While the term journeyman can often be used unfairly in football, that's certainly not the case with Constantine, as he played for a whopping 22 different clubs throughout his career.

However, he had proven his worth as an excellent League One striker at Port Vale, and he appeared to be a real coup for the Whites as they prepared for life in the third tier.

Constantine was so keen to join Leeds he even paid out of his pocket to take part in the club's pre-season programme, with the club in administration at the time.

The striker signed a two-year deal at Elland Road but struggled with injuries and didn't make his debut for the club until the beginning of November, and even when fit he wasn't a regular in the starting XI thanks to Jermaine Beckford's form.

He scored his first goal for the club in his third appearance in a Football League Trophy clash with Bury, but he continued to be in and out of the matchday squad, struggling to nail down a regular place.

He scored his second goal on New Year's Day in 2008 against Oldham Athletic, but that would turn out to be his final appearance for the club, and he was loaned to Oldham later that season.

He scored two goals and registered one assist in eight appearances at Boundary Park, but Leeds had seen enough, and he was allowed to join Northampton Town on a permanent basis that summer.

seven appearances, and it's fair to say he enjoyed a nomadic career after leaving the Whites.

Leon Constantine's career after leaving Leeds United

The striker spent time in the Football League with Northampton Town, Cheltenham Town and Hereford United before dropping to the National League in 2010 with York City, marking the end of his days in the top four divisions of English football.

Between 2010 and his retirement in 2017, Constantine played for eight different clubs, but struggled for goals towards the end of his career.

Non-league spells with York, Braintree Town, Lewes, Tooting & Mitcham, Boston United, Arlesley Town, Brimsdown and Enfield Borough didn't exactly do much to dispel his reputation as a journeyman, but it was clear that Constantine just loved player football, regardless of the level.

Enfield Borough must have felt a long way from Elland Road for Constantine, but in his prime he was a good player at League One level, as his 22-goal 2006/07 season showed at Port Vale.

Had he not had someone of Jermaine Beckford's quality in front of him and had he not been ravaged by injuries, things could have been all so different for Constantine at Elland Road, but ultimately he will be remembered as a real Football League journeyman.