Jermaine Francis

Jermaine Francis joined Sutton on a permanent deal from Hartlepool United in January 2026.

Having begun his career in the academies of Queens Park Rangers and Reading, Francis later spent a year in the Under-19s at London Tigers, while also playing for Chelsea’s Under-19s Representative College Team, though he never officially played for the club’s academy.

This was followed by a move to Essex Alliance League club DTFC, a side who was formed in 2019 by AFTV contributor Liam Goodenough. Now known as Cannons Wood, Francis appeared 11 times for them across two separate spells, either side of a brief stint at Coggeshall Town, before moving across Essex to join Hashtag United.

He became a regular in the centre of the park for the Tags, scoring 14 goals in 30 league appearances as they won the Isthmian League North Division, less than a decade after their foundation in 2016.

His form in the eighth tier led to a move up the pyramid, and following a trial at Barnet and a brief return to Cannons Wood, Francis making the switch to National League South Chelmsford City, where he continued his rapid rise up non-league by featuring 42 times in the sixth tier. This was followed by a permanent switch to Barnet, who had rekindled their interest in the midfielder, and he subsequently played a bit-part role in the Bees’ promotion to League Two last term, whilst spending the bulk of the season out on loan at Braintree Town, before joining Hartlepool United on a permanent deal last summer, where he has appeared 22 times.

Internationally, Francis has also featured 15 times for Grenada, making his debut as a 76th minute substitute in a 1–1 draw against Suriname, before scoring his first international goal against Saint Lucia the following year.