Image: Kingston City
The Springvale White Eagles have secured the services of former Kingston City and Perth Glory striker Jerry Karpeh for the remainder of the 2017 NPL2 season.
The 32-year-old returned to Melbourne earlier this year after an overseas stint in Jordan having featured for Kingston last term, helping City claim the 2016 NPL2 Championship.
Born in Liberia, Karpeh immigrated to Western Australia and made his first foray into senior football in 2001 with the Dianella White Eagles, who are coincidentally a sister club of Springvale.
Further spells at top-flight WA clubs such as Bayswater City, Fremantle City and Perth Soccer Club followed before a brilliant individual season with Floreat Athena in 2007 sparked A-League interest in the formidable centre-forward, who netted 25 goals in 21 matches that campaign.
He ultimately ended up signing for home-town club Perth Glory and made an immediate impact by coming off the bench at half-time on debut to provide an assist to Nikita Rukavytsya in a 3-1 win over the Melbourne Victory in December 2007.
He played a further six league games in purple which included one start before being released by the club at seasons’ end and heading east to join VPL outfit Whittlesea Zebras (now Moreland).
His nine goals in 25 league appearances helped Ivan Jolic’s team avoid relegation as he ultimately joined the Oakleigh Cannons the following term, playing two seasons at Jack Edwards Reserve.
18 goals in 42 league games under John Anastasiadis followed as Karpeh departed Australia at the conclusion of the 2010 VPL season to embark on a five-year odyssey in South-East Asia and India.
Spells in India, Indonesia and Hong Kong followed for the marksman, who netted over 30 league goals in just under 100 games during his travels on the continent.
Karpeh joined Kingston at the beginning of last season, scoring 12 goals in 23 league appearances before departing the club at the end of Round 25, missing out on their eventual promotion party.
The veteran forward featured for the White Eagles in last night’s 3-2 friendly defeat to South Melbourne at White Eagles Stadium and will be eligible to play once the window opens on May 23.
He becomes Springvale’s first signing of the mid-season as the club continues its search for a new coach, with experienced midfielder Nebojsa Pejic being named caretaker for the time being.