‘Our biggest signing of the summer’ – it’s third time lucky for  Moneyfields boss Glenn Turnbull as he is reunited with Tom Jeffes

At the third attempt, Turnbull has finally landed the player who was ‘instrumental’ in US Portsmouth’s successes between 2019-2021.

Jeffes skippered US to the top of the Wessex Division 1 table in 2019/20, and also to the semi-finals of the FA Vase and the Wessex League Cup final the following season.

Turnbull was keen to take Jeffes with him on leaving US to join Moneys in the summer of 2021, but the player decided to stay loyal for US’ debut Wessex Premier campaign.

Turnbull tried again last summer, but Jeffes decided to join Horndean instead.

He went on to make 30 league and cup appearances for the Deans, 23 of them in the club’s Wessex Premier title-winning campaign.

Jeffes’ biggest contribution, though, was the injury-time leveller against Fareham in the Portsmouth Senior Cup final at Fratton Park.

The Deans subsequently won on penalties to bring the curtain down on a memorable campaign.

Turnbull said: ‘I wanted to bring Jeffers with me (in 2021) but he chose to stay loyal to US.

‘You can see on social media what Horndean think of him - he brings so much more than just as a player on the pitch.

‘He keeps himself fit, he never misses a training session.

‘The likes of Elliott (Turnbull), Caino (Tom Cain) and Harry Birmingham absolutely love him.

‘He’s saved in my phone as Tom ‘the skip’ Jeffes - he was instrumental in what we achieved at US, but not just on the pitch.

‘He’s our biggest signing of the summer. Centre half was an area we needed improving, and I felt we needed a calm leader.

‘Jack Lee’s got a leadership style, and we’re trying to develop Sarge (Harry Sargeant).’

Wessex Premier new boys Petersfield were also believed to be keen on keeping Jeffes at step 5 level.

Turnbull added: ‘I did say to Iain Sellstrom (Fleetlands chairman) that if he was looking for a managerial candidate to look at Tom.

‘But Tom says that’s not for him at the moment. He feels, and I feel, he still has a lot to offer on the playing side.

‘I’ve not given him any guarantees of starting but Jack Lee’s on holiday at the start of the season so the ball is in Tom’s court.’

Moneyfields held their first pre-season training session at the weekend, which James Franklyn came through.

The goalscoring midfielder missed most of last season - making only eight starts - due to a groin problem that required surgery.

Centre half Cain also missed a huge chunk of the campaign due to injury, making just 15 league starts out of a potential 38.

Having lost Callum Glen and Jordan Pile to Petersfield and Baffins respectively, Turnbull is still in the hunt for a new midfielder.

Stan Bridgman - who has played in the Wessex for Baffins and Pagham in the last two seasons - has joined Moneys for pre-season training.

He was a colleague of Charlie Bell, who has returned to Moneys after ending last season at AFC Portchester, during his time in the Pompey Academy.

‘Losing Callum was a bolt from the blue,’ said Turnbull. ‘I didn’t see that coming. I wouldn’t say that was the case with Jordan.

‘He was really honest with me and I was really honest with him.

‘I think he needs to play. With Callum going there could have been an opportunity here, but he wants to test himself in a new environment.

‘That could be a really good move for him, like it was for Danny Burroughs (who left Moneys last season to join US Portsmouth).’