He has retired from professional football and decided to return to north east to live with family. His contract with Wrexham has been terminated with immediate effect.


I am gutted as he was never given a fair chance at Wrexham. Little bringing in crap like Drew Broughton who is going for his 3rd relegation from football league in a row!

I say give him a job at Pools as a Youth Team Coach or something. repay him for the way he was $hit on in favour of Moore.

I wonder who will buy Joel Porter's House?

his family is well settled in the Hartlepool area, and he didn't want to leave the town. I hope something turns up for the lad, he was a great servant to Pools. Gordon Watson said in the recent sportsman's dinner at Pools, that Eifion was a good striker and one of his favourite players to play alongside him during his time here.

One of my favourite ever players at Pools, good luck Eiffion in whatever life brings next for you whether that be in football or not.

One of Effs mates plays for our sunday team, he's been saying for ages that he wasn't happy at Wrexham and wants to retire.

The problem has been that Eifion has never really been that bothered about football.

A quality striker who was wasted on the wing.

Scored the best goal i've ever seen a pools player score.

Best of luck Eifion in whatever you do - a true Poolie legend.

It would be nice if the club put together a bit of a tribute on the official site as they ignored his contribution to the club when they let him go.

the missus was talking to his missus and he's happy to take a job stacking shelves.

nice bloke.

Thats exactly what his mate said!

He'd happily work in the asda, as he's not qualified to do anything.

His missus can work next year n he isnt boshed.

Weird that like.

If I had his talent i'd still be playing

5 aside for the bunker will do!

he could a meet n greet job at the vic on matchdays
radio work
paper columns

plenty for him to do

I guess its hard for a 'fan' to understand how somebody can walk away from football like this. But if he can't be arsed he can't be arsed.

We know he's good enough for a top half League Two side, but if his hearts not in the game he'll be hard pushed to find a club who wants him.

Good luck to him in whatever career he decides on next.

he's not taking my place, the george best of the team!

I'd get him back at Pools for next season regardless, played out his skin for Pools and I along with many were shocked when he left the club.

Eifion = legend

a shame, my favourite Pools player too. Hope summat crops up for him

Aye, good luck Eifion, hope it all works out for you mate.

My favourite Eifion moment:

Through one on one with the Bristol City keeper in the play off home leg. Knocks ball beyond keeper, right weight, nailed on tap in. Keeper takes his legs, ref waves no penalty. Eif sat splay legged on the ground arms akimbo and mouths 'I don't fookin believe it' to 4m Sky viewers.

Top man.

...the late George Best...?
I liked Eiffion, good attitude and nice bloke .... and it really pissed me off when he got the elbow

top man who was treat shabbily by the club imo

I agree with comments already made. I think he got a bit of a raw deal at pools and would like to wish him all the best for the future.

I'd have rather kept Eifion than sign Moore, waste of time really.

A lot of people saying he got a raw deal when he left pools.

I thought his contract was just not renewed?

Care to explain?

Should never have been binned by Danny Boy.
Thanks Effion the 2 goals against Darlow will live with me for ever we were a credit to our club.

the point is like most good pros he is told where and how to play
despite him playing out of position on a number of occasions he never let the side down and imo was passed over for lesser men

I think some people are being way over sentimental. He scored a handful of goals in numerous starts for Pools last season. He just wasn't good enough to make the step up to the level that we are at now.

I'm sure he is a really nice bloke and has a really nice family but there is no way that Pools should create a role just for him. Any jobs at pools should be given to the best applicants, if that happens to be Eifion then so be it But create a job for him because he is well liked and some think he has been hard done to - you're having a laugh.

i wish him well though......

It would be very fitting if the club allowed him to have a testimonial match. That would give us a chance to officially say thank you to a true Poolie and a thoroughly nice bloke.

he only played for Pools for about 5-6 years didn't he? He was certainly not here for anywhere near ten years....

Do Denny Ingram, Graeme Lee and Mark Tinkler deserve testimonials as well?

It was only a suggestion...........obviously a very bad one. I'll try and do better.

I do agree with that Jonny, Wilson made the correct decision in my opinion. We all love Eifion and admired him as a player but you have to know when it's the right time to move. Moore scored more goals at a higher level for us than Eifion did in all of last season. The difference is that one is prepared to live in the town after his retirement the other wasn't willing to move from Warrington. It was an understandable football decision though.

People are getting over sentimental but that alone speaks volumes for the impact he made at Pools.

I really liked Eifion, and thought a lot of the time he was hard-done by being played out of position.
Some of the comments on here about him not being that bothered about playing were echoed by Gordon Watson at the legend lunch. He said he thought if Eifion would work harder he could easily play at a higher level.
Strangely I was sitting with Andy Rowley from Pools commercial department during the lunch.
He knows Sam Collins quite well from his Huddersfield days, and he was saying he's one of 3 brothers who are all good players. One of them also plays professionally but the other (Peter I think) is by far the best but can't be bothered with the travel and training, so just plays for a local pub side.
For those of us with no ability, you just assume if someone is good enough they would automatically want to play, but clearly not.

Never been so gutted about a player leaving than when eifion did, always rated him, surely the club should honour him for his commitment and service to the club, its what the fans want to see and its no less than eifion deserves! Thanks for the memories eff, your goal against darlo was sheer class and if it had been scored in the premiership it would have graced the opening credits of MOTD without doubt

whats to say that the club wont allow him to train there and go for his uefa badges
with a position within the club once he has them

Was going to post the same but you beat me to it.

There is some complete patronising tosh on this forum. Yes, Effion scored some nice goals but this overly sentimental rubbish is just ridiculous. People saying Effion always gave 100% and was their favourite player etc etc. What a load of rubbish.

Get a grip of yourselves, the opinions of players/ ex players on here changes from on minute to the next. When Effion left most people on here thought it was a fair decision. Oh, and Moore was a far better player than Effion was too.

Having said that, Effions goals at darlo will forever be 'special'.

I wish him all the best but some people on here go way, way overboard.

Hang on a minute. What is wrong with someone having Taffy as their favourite player? He is not my favourite player but he MAY be somebody's. What gives you the right to come out with that garbage?
If I want to change my mind from one minute to the next I will do so , with or without your permission.

He was always one of my favorite players, don't really know why, as has already been said he did have a bit of a tendency to dissappear when things weren't going well or he wasn't feeling up for it (but then again so did Boydy!!!) But scored some excellent goals - Cardiff anyone?? those 2 against Darlo. Always seemed a perfect gentleman on the odd occasions I spoke to him, & I too think he was treated shabbily by the club

SO THERE

cowboy why was he treated shabbily?

His contract at pools had expired and it simply was not renewed.

Whats the problem?

People are going to have to divulge how they feel he was treat shabbily or simply not say it cos its annoying me.

Yes he was played out of position, but to me it looked like he just got on with it, like Richie has, he never done a Dyer and refused to play there, so it can't be that.

I'd sooner have given him a contract than Lee Bullock.

He'd have been better than Mr Foley too that's for sure.

People think he was treated shabbily because we released him and people dont realise theres no place for sentiment in football. I liked the bloke and felt sorry for him but you cant simply keep offering peopel new contracts because he is a top bloke etc. Its a cruel game and Wilson was right to do so.

In my view (& I admit it is ONLY my view) he was, during the promotion season, one of our better players. As I understand it he wanted a new 2 year contract to see him to the end of his career here, we would only offer 1 & therefore he was released (I have also heard unsubstantiated rumours that he eventually agreed to 1 year & was released anyway, but for all I know that is just beer talk)

It's my opinion - no more no less

From a fans point of view football is pretty well all about sentiment

Wilson released Eifion & replaced him with worse players, how can that be right?

Moore was not a worse player. Effion struggled in League 2 most of the time and could not step upto League 1.

True to fans the game is about sentiment but if a manager comes in who gives players contracts soley based on sentiment then the game and our club would be a joke.

I don't think anybody is suggesting that a manager would dish out contracts solely on sentiment. What some people are suggesting is that he was worthy of a contract extension. There is a difference. Eifion may have had something to offer this season and he may not...we shall never know. Opinion is what fuels debate........not a lot of people realise that.

We will have to differ on Moore - I really wasn't impressed

Eifion was no worse than a number of Wilsons signings - Antwi ("defender" I admit but you see my point) Elliott, Boland, Budtz, etc. etc. If they were worth contracts why wasn't Williams? (& please don't come back with "Antwi is a loan signing" we have still had the useless get all season) Plus Wilson consistently picks his signings over players who subsequently (usually due to one of the "golden boys" being injured or suspended) prove themselves to be better than Wilsons man - how is that not "sentiment" on his part?

...that's Danny's favourite phrase he uses to describe Barker..... are you or have you ever been Danny Wilson ? I think we should be told.

p.s ...'one for the trenches'.....so reminiscent of the First World War, we must have the General Haig of foootball , .. a man who stuck doggedly to the same pointless tactics, oblivious to the cost.

But players like Matty Robson, David Foley, Ali Gibb & Robbie Elliott were?

i ddn't say that did I...? I think Matty had a year to run on his contract, Dave was young and looked very promising last season and I think Gibb had a 2 year contract when he signed for Pools (fukk knows why though). Eifion simply didn't do enough to get a contract.........

No, but I was just making the point if Eifion wasn't good enough then we had/have several other players which are not good enough. I'm not sure of contract lengths the players I mentioned had so maybe its a case of waiting until they run out and then releasing them.

Well that is probably the case as i can't see teams queueing up to sign the likes of Ali G can you? How we managed to find a team desperate enough to take him on loan I don't know.....