Boss Joe Royle has revealed that Francis Jeffers was the potential loan striker injured within minutes of Town making an enquiry regarding his availability in February. Royle saw the Charlton man as a solution to the Blues' striker injury crisis.

The Town manager revealed at the time that he'd asked about a player before a morning training session and at lunchtime discovered the player had picked up a knock.

Royle said: “I rang Alan Curbishley at Charlton to ask if Francis Jeffers would be available to join us on loan and Alan promised he would speak to the player about it. I couldn't believe it when he rang back and said Francis had been injured in training and been forced to come off with damaged knee ligaments."

The Blues eventually signed Ricardo Fuller on loan with eight of the club's strikers - Alan Lee, Sam Parkin, Nicky Forster, Adam Proudlock, Dean Bowditch, Danny Haynes, Billy Clarke and Darryl Knights - out injured at some point during the season.

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