 Jackson in 2008 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Simeon Alexander Jackson | ||
| Date of birth | (1987-03-28)March 28, 1987 (age 37) | ||
| Place of birth | Kingston, Jamaica | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | A.F.C. Sudbury | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Sunoco FC | |||
| ASPIRE Academy | |||
| Dulwich Hamlet | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2008 | Rushden & Diamonds | 90 | (40) |
| 2005 | →Raunds Town (loan) | ||
| 2008–2010 | Gillingham | 101 | (35) |
| 2010–2013 | Norwich City[a] | 74 | (17) |
| 2013–2014 | Eintracht Braunschweig | 9 | (0) |
| 2014 | Millwall | 14 | (2) |
| 2014–2015 | Coventry City | 28 | (3) |
| 2015–2016 | Barnsley | 9 | (0) |
| 2016 | Blackburn Rovers | 17 | (2) |
| 2016–2018 | Walsall | 46 | (7) |
| 2018 | →Grimsby Town (loan) | 5 | (1) |
| 2018–2019 | St Mirren | 30 | (6) |
| 2019 | Kilmarnock | 4 | (0) |
| 2020 | Stevenage | 4 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Chelmsford City | 68 | (20) |
| 2021 | →King's Lynn Town (loan) | 17 | (6) |
| 2024– | A.F.C. Sudbury | 11 | (2) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2006–2008 | Canada U20 | 7 | (0) |
| 2009–2017 | Canada | 49 | (6) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 07:47, 15 September 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16:02, October 10, 2021 (UTC) | |||
Simeon Alexander Jackson (born March 28, 1987) is aCanadian semi-professionalsoccer player who plays as aforward forA.F.C. Sudbury.
He has spent the majority of his career playing in England, relocating fromMississauga,Ontario, toSouth London as a teenager to pursue his interest in football. Following a rejection byGillingham after a trial, he played semi-professionally before making his name withRushden & Diamonds of theFootball Conference. His goalscoring feats for the club earned him a move to Gillingham, then ofLeague Two, in 2008. He scored the winning goal for the club in the2009 League Two Play-Off Final atWembley Stadium.
In 2010 Jackson was transferred toNorwich City, then of theChampionship, and scored the goal that clinched Norwich's promotion to thePremier League the following year. He fell out of favour at the club during the2012–13 season, and opted to join German clubEintracht Braunschweig who were newly promoted to theBundesliga. Desiring regular playing time, his contract with the German club was mutually terminated in January 2014 and he returned to England withMillwall.
After spells withCoventry City,Barnsley,Blackburn Rovers,Walsall andGrimsby Town, Jackson signed for Scottish clubSt Mirren in September 2018. He then joined another Scottish club, Kilmarnock, in October 2019.
Born in Jamaica, Jackson has played for theCanada national team since 2009. During qualification for the2014 FIFA World Cup he scored a hat-trick againstSaint Lucia.
Jackson started his career with his local team in Canada, Sunoco FC.[2] He was invited to have trials withGillingham, but was rejected by the club.[2] At the age of 15, he moved to England and lived with his grandmother inCroydon,South London.[2] While playing forDulwich Hamlet, Jackson worked atMcDonald's to sustain his move to England.[3]
Jackson joinedRushden & Diamonds in 2004 and was the club's top scorer in the2006–07 season, scoring 20 goals. The next season, he was top scorer for the Diamonds in the league, scoring 16 goals, despite leaving for Gillingham in January. He was joint eighth top scorer in the league that season.[4] In 2005, he had trials withManchester United andManchester City.[2][5] Jackson went on a one-monthloan toRaunds Town in December 2005.[6] When he left the Diamonds he had established himself as the club's eighth highestgoalscorer, scoring 43 goals in just over 100 games in all competitions.
In January 2008, Jackson signed withGillingham, a club he had a trial with as a youth player,[7] for a transfer fee of£150,000 on a three-and-a-half-year contract.[8] He made his debut againstCheltenham Town on February 2, 2008.
On January 4, 2009, Jackson scored an equalizing goal for Gillingham in their 2–1 FA Cup third round defeat byAston Villa. He scored both goals as Gillingham beatRochdale in the 2008–09 play-off semi final,[9] and the 90th-minute winner in the 1–0 win againstShrewsbury Town in thefinal, as Gillingham returned toLeague One one year after relegation.[10]
Jackson signed for Norwich in July 2010, signing a two-year contract with the club, with the option for another year,[11] in a deal which saw strikerCody McDonald move to Gillingham on loan. He was given the number 10 jersey upon his arrival at the club and made his debut in a 3–2 home loss toWatford on August 6, 2010. He scored his first goal for the club againstSwansea City on August 21. ManagerPaul Lambert often used Jackson as an impact substitute due to the form and partnership ofGrant Holt andChris Martin. Jackson was given a start against Bristol City, and scored a brace, with a goal in each half at Ashton Gate.[12] Jackson started the next four games again, in favour of Martin.[13] He scored his fourth goal of the season in the 1–0 win overMiddlesbrough on October 23. After a few months of mostly coming in as a substitute again, on April 2, 2011, Jackson scored his first hat-trick for Norwich, coming on as a substitute and scoring three times in the last twenty minutes of the match againstScunthorpe United atCarrow Road.[14] He went on to score the goal that clinched Norwich's promotion to thePremier League, a late winner againstPortsmouth.
Jackson made his Premier League debut on August 21, 2011, as a second-half substitute forChris Martin in the second game of the season againstStoke City, the game finished with aKenwyne Jones stoppage time header which resulted in a 1–1 home draw for Norwich.[15]
Following his Premier League debut, Jackson began to struggle finding minutes in the team, he did not play a minute of football in the league until October 1 as a second half sub againstManchester United.[16] Jackson made his first start in the Premier League on November 26 in a 2–1 victory overQueens Park Rangers, this was the first time a Canadian international had started in the Premier League sinceDavid Edgar on May 24, 2009, withBurnley.[17] Jackson scored his first Premier League goal on December 20 againstWolverhampton Wanderers when he converted aSteve Morison cross one minute after being subbed on.[18] Jackson came on as a second half sub againstFulham on December 31 and scored the game tying goal in second half injury time to earn a 1–1 home draw.[19] In the fourth round of theFA Cup in late January Norwich was drawn againstWest Bromwich Albion, Jackson came off the bench in the 65th minute with the game being tied at 1–1 and scored the winning goal in the 85th to take the Canaries into the fifth round.[20] After failing to make an appearance for almost a month Jackson returned to the starting line up in a 3–3 away draw on 5 May againstArsenal.[21] The following week, Jackson was given the start again in the final game of the season againstAston Villa, the game ended in a 2–0 home victory with Jackson andGrant Holt as the scorers.[22] Jackson finished the 2011–12 campaign for Norwich having made 22 appearances, starting in 10 of those. He scored three goals and registered two assists, with 34 shots on goal in his debut Premier League season. The club took up the option to extend Jackson's contract for another year in June 2012, along withDavid Fox andElliott Ward. On August 25, 2012, he scored his first goal of the new season in a 1–1 draw at home toQueens Park Rangers.[23] At the end of the season, Jackson was released by Norwich, having struggled to find minutes during his second year in the top flight.[24][25]
On July 10, 2013, Jackson signed for German Bundesliga sideEintracht Braunschweig on a two-year contract.[26] Jackson was previously linked with a move to Championship sideAFC Bournemouth.[27] After just nine appearances during the first half of the season, Jackson and Eintracht Braunschweig mutually agreed to terminate his contract on January 31, 2014.[28]
On February 1, 2014, a day after his Eintracht Braunschweig contract was terminated, Jackson agreed to joinChampionship sideMillwall on a deal until the end of the season.[28] He made his debut againstBrighton & Hove Albion on March 1, 2014. Jackson scored his first goal[citation needed] on March 25 in a 3–2 home defeat toBirmingham City.[29]
On August 18, 2014, Jackson signed forLeague One teamCoventry City on a one-year contract.[30] On September 13 Jackson scored his first goal for the club and the game-winning goal in a 2–1 victory overYeovil Town.[31]
After leaving Coventry at the end of the 2014–15 season, Jackson went on trial at fellow League One sideBarnsley. On September 3, 2015, he signed a short-term contract to keep him at the club until January 3, 2016.[32]
Following a successful trial, Jackson signed a short-term deal withBlackburn Rovers on January 15, 2016, to last until the end of the 2015–16 season.[33] He scored his first goal for Blackburn in a 2–1 defeat toLeeds United on March 12, 2016.[34]
Jackson signed forWalsall on July 18, 2016,[35] and scored twice on his debut for Walsall in a 3–1 win overAFC Wimbledon on August 6, 2016.[36] In January 2018 he joinedGrimsby Town on loan for the remainder of the2017–18 season.[37]
He was released by Walsall at the end of the 2017–18 season.[38]
Jackson went on to a trial spell withScottish Premiership clubSt Mirren in September 2018[39] and was signed on a short-term deal through January 2019.[40][41] He left Saints when his contract expired in June 2019, having helped the club avoid relegation.[42]
Jackson signed a short-term contract withScottish Premiership clubKilmarnock in October 2019.[43] Jackson left after the expiration of his contract in December 2019.[44]
On January 20, 2020, Jackson signed a six-month deal forStevenage.[45] After only five appearances in all competitions Jackson was released by the club at the conclusion of the 2019–20 season.[46][47]
On February 5, 2021, Jackson signed forNational League South clubChelmsford City.[48] On March 5, 2021, Jackson signed forNational League clubKing's Lynn Town on loan until the end of the2020–21 season.[49] On July 3, 2021, Chelmsford confirmed Jackson would be returning to the club for the2021–22 season, taking up a head of coaching role and a community ambassador role alongside his playing responsibilities.[50] On July 10, 2023, Chelmsford announced Jackson's retirement from playing.[51]
On March 27, 2024, Jackson came out of retirement to sign forAFC Sudbury.[52]
Jackson qualified for Canadian citizenship by virtue of his years of residence there as a child, and currently[when?] has 45 caps forCanada, scoring six times. He also has seven caps for theCanadian men's youth (under-20) team. His first game was a friendly against Brazil in May 2006, and he played in all three of Canada's games at the2007 U-20 World Cup,[53] his last games at that level. On November 14, 2008, he received his first call up for theCanadian senior squad for a match against his country of birth,Jamaica.
On May 30, 2009, Jackson made his debut forCanada against Cyprus, scoring the winning goal in the 53rd minute of a 1–0 victory.[54] Jackson helped Canada reach the quarter-final stage of the2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the US, playing in all four ofCanada's games in the tournament. On December 18, 2009, Jackson was named theCanadian Player of the Year.[55]
National team coachStephen Hart decided in the friendly versusPeru to experiment by using Jackson as a right winger.[citation needed] With a solid performance atBMO Field Hart continued to use Jackson out wide for future Canada match ups. On October 8, 2010, Jackson scored his second international goal with a chip in a friendly againstUkraine.[56] On October 7, 2011, Jackson scored ahat-trick againstSaint Lucia in a game that finished in a 7–0 away victory for Canada. Jackson became only the second ever Canadian to score a hat-trick in World Cup qualifying joining the former strikerAlex Bunbury.[57] In early December, Jackson was shortlisted for the 2011 Canadian Player of the Year along withDwayne De Rosario andJosh Simpson, it was announced on December 14 that he had finished in second place losing out to De Rosario.[58]
In the summer of 2013, Jackson was selected for his third consecutive Gold Cup,[59] but after playing in the first group stage game againstMartinique he left with the team's blessing to join his new German club and was replaced byKyle Porter for the remainder of the tournament.[60]
Jackson was born inKingston, Jamaica. At the age of three, he moved with his parents toMississauga,Ontario.
On June 1, 2011, it was announced byUmbro that Jackson had signed an endorsement deal following the new partnership between the English sportswear company and theCanadian Soccer Association, making Jackson one of the few Canadian players to have an endorsement deal.[61] In 2012, Jackson revealed that "he plans to fulfil a long-held dream next year when he sets up his first 'soccer' school in Southern Ontario ... "I want to help kids in Canada improve themselves, and get the opportunity to play in Europe and at the highest level through a soccer school."[62]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rushden & Diamonds | 2004–05[6] | League Two | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2005–06[6] | League Two | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 16 | 5 | |
| 2006–07[6] | Conference Premier | 45 | 19 | 2 | 1 | ― | 3[c] | 0 | 50 | 20 | ||
| 2007–08[6] | Conference Premier | 28 | 16 | 3 | 2 | ― | 3[d] | 0 | 34 | 18 | ||
| Total | 90 | 40 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 104 | 43 | ||
| Gillingham | 2007–08[64] | League One | 18 | 4 | ― | ― | ― | 18 | 4 | |||
| 2008–09[65] | League Two | 41 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4[e] | 3 | 49 | 21 | |
| 2009–10[66] | League One | 42 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1[f] | 1 | 48 | 17 | |
| Total | 101 | 35 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 115 | 42 | ||
| Norwich City | 2010–11[67][a] | Championship | 39 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ― | 41 | 13 | |
| 2011–12[70] | Premier League | 22 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | ― | 26 | 5 | ||
| 2012–13[71] | Premier League | 13 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ― | 19 | 3 | ||
| Total | 74 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 86 | 21 | ||
| Eintracht Braunschweig | 2013–14[72] | Bundesliga | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ― | ― | 10 | 0 | ||
| Millwall | 2013–14[73] | Championship | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ― | 14 | 2 | |
| Coventry City | 2014–15[74] | League One | 28 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 30 | 3 |
| Barnsley | 2015–16[75] | League One | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 2015–16[75] | Championship | 17 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ― | ― | 19 | 2 | ||
| Walsall | 2016–17[76] | League One | 38 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 41 | 7 |
| 2017–18[72][g] | League Two | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| Total | 46 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 7 | ||
| Grimsby Town (loan) | 2017–18[77] | League Two | 5 | 1 | ― | ― | ― | 5 | 1 | |||
| St Mirren | 2018–19[80] | Scottish Premiership | 30 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 6 |
| Kilmarnock | 2019–20[81] | Scottish Premiership | 4 | 0 | ― | ― | ― | 4 | 0 | |||
| Stevenage | 2019–20[81] | League Two | 4 | 0 | ― | ― | 1[f] | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Chelmsford City | 2020–21[72] | National League South | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | |||
| 2021–22[72] | National League South | 28 | 11 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[c] | 0 | 30 | 11 | ||
| Total | 30 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 12 | ||
| King's Lynn Town (loan) | 2020–21[82] | National League | 17 | 6 | — | — | — | 17 | 6 | |||
| Career totals | 478 | 131 | 25 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 19 | 4 | 533 | 145 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 2009 | 8 | 1 |
| 2010 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 12 | 4 | |
| 2012 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 49 | 6 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 30, 2009 | Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium,Larnaca, Cyprus |  Cyprus | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | October 8, 2010 | Lobanovskyi Dynamo Stadium,Kyiv, Ukraine |  Ukraine | 1–0 | 2–2 | Friendly |
| 3 | September 6, 2011 | Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium,Bayamón, Puerto Rico |  Puerto Rico | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | October 7, 2011 | Beausejour Stadium,Gros Islet, Saint Lucia |  Saint Lucia | 1–0 | 7–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 2–0 | |||||
| 6 | 4–0 |
Gillingham
Individual
Canada squads | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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