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Emmanuel-Thomas Joins AFC Totton - Ipswich Town News

Ex-Town forward Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has joined National League South AFC Totton following his release from prison on parole.

The 34-year-old was convicted of drugs smuggling offences last month but was recently released on parole having been in jail ever since he was arrested in September last year.

At the weekend, the one-time Arsenal youngster posted pictures of him training on social media along with an apology to Greenock Morton, the Scottish club he was with at the time of his arrest.

Now, Hampshire-based Totton have announced his signing: "AFC Totton are delighted to announce the signing of versatile forward, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas,” they wrote on their website.

"Jay will bring his powerful presence and exceptional technical ability to The Snows Stadium for AFC Totton's first season in the Enterprise National League South!”

Nicknamed JET, Emmanuel-Thomas joined the Blues for a fee of a reported £1.5 million from the Gunners in July 2011. A mercurial talent, manager Paul Jewell famously once said he "goes from a world beater to a panel beater”.

The Forest Gate-born attacker went on to make 43 starts and 32 sub appearances for the Blues, scoring nine times, before being made available by Mick McCarthy in the summer of 2013 along with Michael Chopra.

Emmanuel-Thomas moved onto Bristol City in a swap deal which saw Paul Anderson join Town and went on to have plenty of clubs.

In addition to the Robins, he played for QPR, MK Dons, Gillingham (loan), Thai side PTT Rayong, Livingston, Aberdeen, Jamshedpur in India and Kidderminster Harriers before joining Morton in the summer of 2024.

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