Swindon Town could not handle Leeds United promotion hero over the years: View | OneFootball

Swindon Town fans would be forgiven for having Jermaine Beckford’s face in the centre of their dartboard.

The striker’s performances against the Robins in his career proved him to be the nemesis of the Wiltshire side, with goals, goals and more goals expected whenever he came up against them.

Ten of them in total, in fact, with the striker finding the net once every 74.9 minutes when he came up against Town; the sort of return that makes you strike fear into the heart of the opposition.

From FA Cup winners to play-off final heroics, Beckford was a player synonymous with Leeds United at the start of his career, before going on to torment Swindon for both Leicester City and Preston North End before his playing days drew to a close.

Jermaine Beckford scoring record vs Swindon Town

Little did Town fans realise when Beckford netted a brace at Elland Road in 2007, that he would go on to feature so prominently whenever he came up against them over the course of his career.

After getting his first from the penalty spot, the striker won the game for United with a super volleyed finish eleven minutes after the restart; restoring the advantage after Lee Peacock had levelled matters for the visitors.

At a time when the Whites were at their lowest ebb, in Beckford they had someone who could give them a glimmer of hope of what was to come in Yorkshire, with the forward grabbing goals on a regular basis as Elland Road played host to League One football.

Leeds had come out the other end of their financial difficulties, but had to restart from the third tier after suffering two relegations in four seasons, having been top flight regulars for well over a decade.

Swindon weren’t the only side to fall foul of the frontman’s goalscoring exploits - as his sublime records show - with 72 goals in 128 league matches for United before his departure in 2010.

The 08/09 season brought about three more strikes against Swindon, with a brace at The County Ground coming in the midst of a purple patch in front of goal, as the forward started the campaign with eleven goals in his first nine matches, as he cemented his status as one of the EFL’s most-feared frontmen.

That amazing form had continued right through until their next meeting in March, where he got his 29th goal of the campaign in a 1-0 victory at Elland Road, before getting himself a late red card for a second bookable offence.

Things were rarely dull whenever Beckford and Swindon came head-to-head, although those meetings proved to be fewer and further between after his first three seasons, as United won promotion back to the second tier after three seasons in League One.

Much of that success had come down to the goal-getting ability of their star man, and that talent hadn’t gone unnoticed by teams higher up the football pyramid; with Everton getting their hands on him for the following campaign in the Premier League, although he only netted eight times in 34 league matches for the Toffees.

A move to Leicester soon followed, and Beckford would have been left licking his lips when the Foxes were put up against the Robins in the FA Cup in 2012, with the striker expecting to add even more goals to his incredible record against Town.

Another brace saw his side through to the fifth round, and make it seven goals in as many matches against the Wiltshire side, as he made sure Town fans remembered just how much damage he could inflict on them when given the chance.

And old habits die hard, after all, so when the forward was given the chance to face off against them again three years down the line for Preston North End, it was an opportunity he was never going to pass up.

Having plundered goals in each of the top three English divisions on a regular basis, it was clear to see that Beckford was a player who craved the limelight, and occasion don’t get much bigger than a play-off final at Wembley to showcase your talents.

That is exactly what he did that day, as his hat-trick at the national stadium blew Town out the water, with his first coming within three minutes to give his side an early lead.

A superb curled finish from the outside of the penalty area made it three before half-time, before he clinically despatched a one-on-one just before the hour mark to earn himself the match ball and pour further misery onto the Robins.

Top goalscorers against Swindon Town

Most teams will probably have had their own Jermaine Beckford story over the course of his prolific career, but Swindon could write a whole novel on the times when he has popped up to ruin their day, with that crescendo at Wembley the ultimate heart-breaker.

The forward is the only player in recent history to hit double figures against the Robins, with Will Grigg [pictured], James Hayter and Alex Revell all finding the net nine times against them during their careers.

In what seems to be a who’s who of EFL greats, Nicky Forster sits next on the list alongside Alan Shearer, while Paddy Madden, Lucas Akins and Jo Kuffour are among the players to have grabbed six goals while playing Town.

When it rained it poured with Beckford though, with a hat-trick and three braces to his name against Swindon, having only tasted defeat against the Robins twice in his career.