Photo: FFV
Alamein FC have scored themselves a huge coup on the eve of the NPLW season, capturing star midfielder Amy Jackson from Korean side Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels.
The 29-year-old has tasted considerable success in recent years, claiming three titles in two years (WPL, W-League and Korean WK League) and a wealth of individual awards.
Best known to Victorian audiences for her barnstorming WPL campaign with the Boroondara Eagles in 2015, Jackson won almost everything there was to win that season.
Helping lead her side to a Minor Premiership, Shaun Ontong’s Eagles fell at the final hurdle in a narrow Grand Final loss to South Melbourne at the Veneto Club.
That season saw Jackson net 25 times in the home and away season to capture the WPL Golden Boot, as well as claiming the WPL Gold Medal, TCF Player of the Season and becoming the only female to ever to win the Bill Fleming Award.
Jackson – who netted twice and claimed best on ground honours – also tasted Team App Cup success that season, as the Eagles defeated Bulleen Lions 5-3 at Lakeside Stadium.
The central midfielder is also currently into her second season with W-League outfit Melbourne City, with whom she won the Premiership with in their inaugural season in 2015.
Jackson appeared in all 14 games that season as City finished with a perfect win record.
She completed a move to City from crosstown rivals Melbourne Victory, for who she featured 47 times and scored 11 goals for across the span of three campaigns – which included a Victory Medal winning 2014-15 season.
“We are delighted that we have signed such a quality player,” said Alamein coach Sinisa Cohadzic.
“We are clearly showing our intention of our objective to win a trophy in this upcoming season. That is why we have signed Amy knowing the leadership quality, winning mentality she has and the experience of winning premiership medals with each club she played in last three years.
“So we are hoping that she can bring that edge to our club and team to help us win a trophy that has agonisingly slip out of our hands last year after suffering two heartbreaking defeats in a cruel way on penalties.
“I’m looking forward to working together with her and lift the professionalism at the club which will help our younger players and lift the profile of our league too.”
Her distinguished career began within the National Training Centre system, where she claimed the Jane Oakley Award for Best NTC Player and also travelled to the 2006 U20 World Cup with the Young Matildas.
She completed the move to America from 2007-2010 to study at Florida International University, a side which she captain to a Premiership.
Jackson tasted considerable success overseas, winning titles across two different continents.
She won the KNVB Amateur Cup with Dutch outfit SC Buitenveldert in 2014, while most recently, she tasted Premiership success in Korea with powerhouses Icheon.
Alamein have been by far the busiest recruiters in the NPLW off-season, with Jackson an incredible 10th recruit heading into the start of the season.
She joins internationals Amy Marron and Mari Pastor, W-League recruits Caitlin Doeglas and Emma Checker as well as the Victorian-based Jaimee Williams, Erin Hudson, Joey Cartwright, Marianna Anthony and Kelsey Minton as new faces at the club.