Luke Jephcott endured a footballing nightmare at St Johnstone.
And, after the former Perth striker’s career descended even further in Wales, the 25-year-old has bounced back to become a promotion hero in the SIXTH tier of English football.
Jephcott was signed by Steven MacLean in the summer of 2023, having built a reputation as a reliable goalscorer at Plymouth Argyle.
He made a promising League Cup debut at Alloa but his lack of a pre-season became more exposed when the Premiership got underway.
Jephcott made one only three starts in the league, the last of those away to Hearts in November.
MacLean’s successor, Craig Levein, didn’t see a future for him at McDiarmid Park and a permanent transfer to Newport County was agreed in the January window.
Levein said: “Jephcott, for me, was a player who you need when you’re dominating games and gets loads of chances.
“Because the best part of his game is finishing. He just doesn’t fit with what we need right at this moment in time.
“If we were dominating games, staying in the opposition half and creating chances then he’s one you’d want in the squad.”
Struggles in Wales
Life didn’t improve in EFL League Two, however.
Jephcott played 16 games for Newport in the second half of the 2023/24 season, then another 16 during the current campaign.
He still couldn’t get on the scoresheet and dropped into the National League South in February with Truro City.
Jephcott found the net at the first time of asking and has gone on to help Truro secure a dramatic last-day title triumph on goal difference (three goals better than Torquay United), grabbing the opener in a 5-2 victory over St Albans City.
They have become the first club from Cornwall to reach the National League, the division just below the EFL.
Jephcott, who scored five goals in 14 starts, still has a year left on his contract with Newport.
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