' Former QPR and Cardiff City winger '

Leon Jeanne set to join Evesham United

Former QPR and Cardiff City winger set to join Evesham United
By Jon Palmer

Evesham United are close to signing a player Paul Collicutt says can do things with a football he did not think possible.

In his autobiography Walking Tall, England and Stoke City striker Peter Crouch described this man as "the most talented I have ever played with."

Former QPR and Cardiff City winger Leon Jeanne has made two appearances for the Jubilee Stadium club and looks set to sign Southern League Division One South and West forms this week.

Jeanne played against Kidderminster Harriers in the Worcestershire Senior Cup last Thursday and also featured in Tuesday night's 7-0 friendly win over Littleton.

While his footballing ability has never been in question, the former Wales Under-21 international has been in trouble off the pitch, recently serving time in prison for conspiring to supply cocaine, heroin and cannabis.

But Collicutt is willing to give the wayward 35-year-old a chance to prove he has turned things around.

"Leon has had his problems in the past, but he is trying to get his life back together and I am only interested in what he does on the pitch," Collicutt said.

"He arrived out of the blue as he is mates with our midfielder Ashley Williams and against Littleton he did things with the ball I didn't think were possible.

"He needs to get himself fit again and he'll train with us on Thursday."

Jeanne started out at QPR, making 12 first team appearances for the West London club before joining home city club Cardiff in 2001.

He has since appeared for a long list of non-league and Welsh League clubs, including Havant and Waterlooville, Merthyr, Newport and Bath City as well as brief spell at Cinderford Town.


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This bloke was such a waste of talent and threw it all away

If you ever met Leon you will know he is a sweet guy with a difficult background.

His propensity for drugs and 'that world' has certainly ruined what could have been an amazing football career. propelling him into the limelight in football at a time when it was exploding with huge salaries for young players was a disaster for Leon and it showed that there is a vacuum in football for mentors and counselling and preparing players well.

I thought when he signed for Cardiff I thought we maybe could have done more to help his personal issues.

Anyway, good luck to him. I hope he does have a few years playing at a decent level and getting himself on track.

How old is he now?

How old is he now?

35

If you ever met Leon you will know he is a sweet guy with a difficult background.

His propensity for drugs and 'that world' has certainly ruined what could have been an amazing football career. propelling him into the limelight in football at a time when it was exploding with huge salaries for young players was a disaster for Leon and it showed that there is a vacuum in football for mentors and counselling and preparing players well.

I thought when he signed for Cardiff I thought we maybe could have done more to help his personal issues.

Anyway, good luck to him. I hope he does have a few years playing at a decent level and getting himself on track.

I think the lifestyle had already swept him up by the time he signed for us. London was a bad move for a young Leon Jeanne

If you ever met Leon you will know he is a sweet guy with a difficult background.

His propensity for drugs and 'that world' has certainly ruined what could have been an amazing football career. propelling him into the limelight in football at a time when it was exploding with huge salaries for young players was a disaster for Leon and it showed that there is a vacuum in football for mentors and counselling and preparing players well.

I thought when he signed for Cardiff I thought we maybe could have done more to help his personal issues.

Anyway, good luck to him. I hope he does have a few years playing at a decent level and getting himself on track.

I think the lifestyle had already swept him up by the time he signed for us. London was a bad move for a young Leon Jeanne

I have known Leonne on a personal level for many years from when he was 15 having everything thrown at him in London.. the single greatest player I have ever seen touch a football. cant help but think that in the way football is today he would have had a lot more help than he received at the time he was hot property. not defending his actions or choices but I think in this day and age he would have been protected a hell of lot more I think.. terrible waste of what would have been an amazing welsh talent