They call West Ham's youth set-up 'The Academy of Football,' and it's not a reputation easily earned - start to list some of the famous names the club have produced and you might well need a nap before you even get to the likes of Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand.

Back in the 80s, long after Messrs. Moore, Hurst and Peters had helped England to secure the Jules Rimet trophy, a young man called Tony Cottee was becoming the latest precocious talent to make an impact, and it was to that diminutive striker whom Jimmy Quinn compared Jack Jeffery.

At the time of him signing, Quinn said, "He's in the Tony Cottee mould, and obviously coming from West Ham he's good technically. I'm sure the fans will take to him because he works himself into the ground for the team, which is what you want."

When confronted with that ostensibly flattering likeness, 'JJ' is quick to distance himself from it: "I think it's nice to be compared with anyone who has had such a great career, but I'm my own player and I'm not sure it's a good idea to start saying you're going to be the next Tony Cottee, or anyone else for that matter."

He has, however, been nurtured under the sagacious tutelage of Tony Carr, as Cottee was 25 years ago, and he feels the success of the academy stems from a very humble and eminently achievable ethos: "There's a great atmosphere around the club, from the bottom up, it's like a big family and the coaching staff are fantastic.

"My reserve team manager Kevin Keen epitomises that; he used to play for the club and he's so enthusiastic, he's always involved in training and I think people like him make it what it is."

In recent weeks JJ has seen some of his former youth team colleagues break into the first team and make an impression, perhaps none more so than his fellow striker Freddie Sears, who bagged a decisive debut goal against Blackburn Rovers at Upton Park, and Jack is sure that one day it will be him making the headlines.

"I know Freddie very well, having played with him, and he's one of those players who just scores goals. He deserves his chance and I'm pleased for him. I suppose I have to take that as an incentive - seeing Freddie go and do that makes me realise it could be me next time, so that's what I'm aiming for, whether it's at West Ham or for someone else. If Freddie can do it then there's no reason why I can't."

Despite hailing from one of football's most illustrious academy systems, JJ gives the U's and its coaching staff a glowing reference: "I'm enjoying it here. I came in for my first training session and I was really surprised by the standard; the boys here can play and it's a big step up from the league below where I played on loan with Hampton and Richmond."

He also reserved praise for United boss Jimmy Quinn, citing the advantages of working with a former forward: "We do a lot of work on crossing and shooting and it's good to have a manager who used to be a striker because you can learn a lot from him. The training is all very organised and it's a proper, professional club.

"I think people think 'oh, the Conference isn't that good' but they would be surprised because it's a very good level of football and it's a challenge too."

The Gravesend-born teenager describes action in the Blue Square Premier as sometimes akin to a 'battle' but says that a sharp mind is just as useful as sharp elbows: "It's a tough league, physically, there's no doubt about that. I'm short but I'm quite stocky so I've been OK, but if you haven't got that physical presence you need to have a quick mind or else you're in trouble."

In his time here the U's have come off second-best in a few of their battles, but JJ insists the war is far from over and the troops are still up for the fight.

Speaking shortly before the encounter against Ebbsfleet, he says, "We've had a few set-backs and the Weymouth game was frustrating because we dominated but couldn't score, but none of the lads are letting their heads go down. There's still good banter in the changing room and nobody has given up and nobody is thinking it's over. There's no crisis and we're still confident we can make the play-offs."

Quinn was impressed with Jeffery's performance against Weymouth, suggesting that he was one of a handful of players to come out of that match with some credit, and JJ, with genuine modesty, agreed.

"The gaffer said he was happy with my performance and to be honest you know when you've played well, and I thought I did. I worked hard and covered ground, maybe could have scored a goal and was generally pretty pleased. I just want to try and do the same at Ebbsfleet and keep my place in the team."

Jack had several of his friends and family at the Fleet match as he lives 'just five minutes from the ground' and they witnessed a typically determined display from him, but there was further disappointment for United.

A 2-1 defeat put a dent in Cambridge's play-off hopes but at the time of writing Quinn's men sit 3rd in the table and Jack was optimistic about being involved in the end of season shake-up, and beyond.

"Obviously if the club can go all the way to Wembley then I'd love to be here. Jimmy extended my original loan so I must have made an impression and it's down to me now to keep working hard and keep myself in the manager's plans."

Jeffery's loan spell was extended by a month in late March and Quinn appraised the strikers efforts up to that point: "He's not had as much time on the pitch as he might have liked, with Lee Boylan scoring goals and Lee McEvilly alongside him doing well, but he's got aggression in his game and you need that at any level.

"I think he's got a bright future in the game at some level and if he makes an impression here and plays well he'll stay in the side. I don't have any favourites."

With four games of the season left, all of them crucial, Jack Jeffery could yet have a major role to play as the U's bid for promotion back to the promised land of the Football League. His spirited endeavour and tireless running have won him warm praise so far and if the youngster could find the net today his stock would surely rise even further.

Jeffery played the last ten minutes of a nerve jangling encounter at Rushden and Diamonds on Tuesday, helping the U's to a hugely important 2-1 victory, and that means United go into today's match on much improved form after back-to-back away wins. With Stafford fresh from a 4-0 defeat at York, and on a run of twelve matches without a win, Cambridge will be looking to stride on to 80 points, a total which should be very close to the required target for achieving a play-off place.

JJ and his team-mates need all the help they can get and as supporters you can offer them a real boost if you can get behind them and make yourselves heard. Cambridge United are potentially just a few matches away from a glorious return to the Football League and it is the duty of everyone to do everything they can to make this happen.

Russell Greaves

*This interview was originally published in the programme for the match against Stafford Rangers on Saturday 12th April, 2008.

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