Modern-day Leeds United legend will have mixed feelings over Everton decision: View | OneFootball

Jermaine Beckford is a modern-day Leeds United legend, with the striker having helped the Whites to gain promotion back to the Championship in 2010.

However, his decision to leave the side from LS11 for Everton may still haunt him to this day after failing to ever recapture his wondrous form from his days in League One.

It was a decision that, arguably, has always left Leeds fans wondering what could have been if he had stuck around for their early Championship seasons when they were a real attacking force under Simon Grayson.

Beckford's difficult Premier League spell

Beckford joined the Toffees on a free transfer in 2010, having had his contract expire at Leeds.

During his time in West Yorkshire, Beckford scored goals for fun in League One. The side had slipped down the leagues and were in England's third tier.

In the three seasons he featured in the team regularly, he consistently found himself as the club's top-scorer at the end of each term. He even etched himself into Leeds folklore by scoring the only goal in an FA Cup victory over bitter rivals Manchester United, before a brace in the fourth round against Tottenham to force a replay. His final goal as a Leeds player saw him score the winner in a 2-1 victory against Bristol Rovers to seal promotion to the Championship.

This fantastic form came with attention, though, and having already rejected a new contract at the end of 2008/09, being transfer-listed and subsequently removed, before handing in a request of his own, he left for Everton.

When he signed for Everton, he was handed a four-year deal and looked to be a smart pick-up by Everton and David Moyes, with the striker at that point entering the prime years of his career, filled with confidence and goals.

However, despite a pre-season where he played well, slotted into the team nicely and scored goals, his wait for a Premier League goal stretched until November of the 2010-11 season. It was an injury-time equaliser against future club Bolton Wanderers, but having come in as a striker who had scored over 50 goals in his past two seasons, there was perhaps disappointment it took this long.

Disappointment about finding his feet was surely forgotten though, when he netted against bitter rivals Liverpool in the Merseyside Derby in January, arguably etching his name into Everton folklore.

He ended this one and only Premier League season at Everton with eight goals in the league, having never been able to nail down a starting spot for the Toffees in the top flight, and would make the difficult decision to leave the club after only 13 months.

Beckford's struggle to recapture Leeds highs

Having had that difficult season with Everton and failing to display his goalscoring talents that had helped Leeds gain promotion from League One, Beckford would spend the rest of his career bouncing around many EFL clubs, not the plan he perhaps had when signing that four-year deal at Goodison Park.

In an interview with Everton back in 2022, though, the Jamaican international talked a little about his decision to move away, but of the pride he still does have of being able to call himself a Premier League goalscorer.

Speaking to the Toffees, he said: "I still call it my home. That’s what it means to me.

"When I scored my first Premier League goal against Bolton I almost did a full lap, I was so excited. It’s just magical and that’s why Everton is such a fantastic football club.

"I made some great friends and had some great experiences, I learned how to be a man, and I’m able to say that I came from a west London council estate and played Premier League football for a football club that’s so rich in history."

Upon leaving Goodison Park, he would sign for Leicester City, but only spend two seasons with the club before heading off to his next club, Bolton.

A pattern formed for the remainder of his career, with the man from West London never spending more than three seasons with a club for the remainder of his career, and never making above 50 appearances in all competitions for any of them.

For all of his remaining clubs, Beckford would never really score plenty of goals either, netting above ten goals only once more for Preston North End in 2014-15.

What could have been for Beckford and Leeds

With such a disappointing end to his career after Leeds and the failed Premier League spell with Everton, Whites fans must surely wonder to this day what could have been if Beckford had stuck around.

In the following season after his departure, Leeds did replace his goals, with four players netting above ten league goals: Luciano Becchio (20), Max Gradel (18), Davide Somma (12) and Jonny Howson (11). However, they would never have a striker reach above 25 league goals for another three years until Ross McCormack, who was signed to help replace Beckford, did so with 28 in 2013-14. This led to a period of stagnation in the second tier, with a single season spent flirting with relegation too.

If Beckford had perhaps stuck around in Leeds, despite his aforementioned contract struggles and multiple transfer listings, his career would definitely have panned out a little differently.

Firstly, he would have had at least a year to stabilise himself in the Championship and potentially score even more goals before a Premier League move. Plus, he may have even been able to help Leeds climb up the table instantly and look toward the Premier League an entire decade before they actually did so.

He could have also done all that at a club with a fanbase that loved him after some memorable moments in dark League One years.

Having been in retirement since 2019, caused by injuries and operations that never fully healed, Beckford can certainly look back and be proud of his career that took him from playing non-league football at Wealdstone to the awe-inspiring heights of the Premier League with pride.

But he can perhaps also allow himself to rue poor club moves and inconsistency thereafter and wonder what would have panned out differently had he maybe not grabbed his Premier League before establishing himself properly in the second tier.