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Simeon Strikes For Norwich City To See Canaries Soar To Top Tier

Former Gillingham FC forward Simeon Jackson scored the vital goal for Norwich City FC in a 1-0 victory away at Portsmouth on Monday night to secure promotion to the English Premier League.

Over 17,000 football fans were at Fratton Park to witness Norwich City’s return to the Premiership for the first time since 2004-2005. Cardiff’s 3-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough earlier the same day meant that three points at Portsmouth would promise a promotion.

The first half proved tiresome for Norwich with several unconverted chances. Jackson teased the 3,000 away fans when a shot on an empty goal went just wide, but it was not surprising when he finally tipped the scales. David Fox crossed the ball to the Jamaican striker who headed home in the 50th minute, scoring his ninth in seven games for the Canaries.

If Jackson’s goal drought starting in October was cause for anxiety, he quelled such fears by reappearing on the score sheet with a convincing hat-trick over Scunthorpe FC in April after coming on as a substitute with twenty minutes remaining. Three weeks later he sealed three points for Norwich when scoring his second hat-trick of the year against Derby County FC and providing a 90th minute winner.

The result sees Paul Lambert continue to gather momentum as manager since his take over in August 2009 when the Canaries played League One football then resulted in a promotion to the Championship nine months later, finishing as champions.

Lambert described the team’s atmosphere as “euphoria” and labelled the night a “miracle”. With just one defeat in their last fifteen, Norwich City comfortably proved that they deserve to join the giants in Premier League football.

Jackson is by no means an anomaly. Several other previous Gillingham players have additionally gone on to further success in their careers from the currently cased npower League Two side. Striker Marlon King, at the Gills from 2000-03 and scoring 40 goals in 101 appearances, now plays for Championship side Coventry City FC. King also bears the honour of Championship top scorer while at Watford FC in 2005.

Midfielder Andrew Crofts, eight year Gillingham veteran between 2001-09, notched 17 goals in 174 appearances and shares the same changing room as Jackson, joining the number 10 at Norwich City last year from npower League One side Brighton Hove and Albion FC.

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