Town Confirm Jackson Signing Thursday, 9th Aug 2018 11:08 Town have confirmed the signing of striker Kayden Jackson from Accrington Stanley for an initial fee of £1.6 million. The 24-year-old, who will wear the number nine shirt vacated by Martyn Waghorn, has signed a three-year deal with the club having an option for a further season. In addition to the fee, a new record for Accrington and the most Town have paid for a single player since the £2.6 million spent on Grant Leadbitter in September 2009, top-ups could take the deal up to around £2 million, while the League One side will receive a percentage of any profit from a future sale. Barnsley, Jackson's previous club, will receive 30 per cent of the profit Stanley make on the player they signed for a nominal fee. Blues boss Paul Hurst, who has made Jackson his ninth Town signing, has been tracking the striker, who previously played for him on loan at Grimsby, for a number of weeks. Jackson says Portman Road was where he wanted to go as soon as he heard of the interest. “There were a few offers from other clubs but once I knew Ipswich wanted me, that was it. I just wanted it to happen,” he told iFollow Ipswich. “I enjoyed working with the gaffer and Doigy [assistant manager Chris Doig] at Grimsby and to have the chance to work with them again, it was a no-brainer for me. “It has not been an easy few weeks with all the speculation going on but I took it as a confidence booster that other clubs wanted me. “I just concentrated on what I could control and just hoped it would get done and now it is, I’m delighted. It’s unbelievable. “I’ve always wanted to play at the highest level possible and I’ve got the chance now to play in the Championship with Ipswich. I’ve got to take it with both hands.” Speaking to the Accrington official site, he added: “This time about 13 months ago, I didn’t know where I would be, whether I would be playing first team football at all, now I have a [League Two winner's] medal to look at and it has easily been the best year of my life. “It has been hard few weeks, there were a few offers from the Championship, I could have stayed in League One and I would have enjoyed it but it’s a good opportunity at a club where I really believe I have the opportunity to play games and score goals in the Championship. It is a dream come true for me from where I was 13 months ago. “While I have my dream move, it is also quite sad. I loved every minute of my time at Accrington, I had my own song which was great and from day one every Accrington fan has been positive with me. “I might not have had the best games all the time but the fans never got on my back, I never got an ounce of stick. There may not be 5,000 there every week but they were unbelievable and were class with me. “I have a lot to thank Accrington for and I think I also helped them. I made memories I will never forget, I got on with everyone at the club and made some friends. “It’s like a big family at Accrington, it’s a great atmosphere and it’s so easy to settle in, everyone made it so easy for me.” Jackson is the second player the Blues have signed from Accrington this summer following defender Janoi Donacien.
“It was easy coming to Ipswich as Janoi is obviously already here and I know a few players here as well as the fitness coach [Nathan Winder] from my Barnsley days,” Jackson added. “I hope I can make my Championship debut soon. I scored for Grimsby on my debut and Accrington on my debut so hopefully I can do the same for Ipswich. “I am proud of what I did at Accrington and the contribution I made to the club winning the League Two title. Hopefully the money they have from me will help the club too, to be their first £1m player will stay with me. “I feel so proud of everything we achieved in that season, it was a special season and Accrington will remain one of the first results I look for.” Stanley boss John Coleman added: “Obviously clubs came in for Kayden and, while he made the right noises about saying he was concentrating on football, his head must have been spinning. “Kayden did well for us and while we didn’t want to lose him, the most pleasing thing is Accrington are no longer seen as a bargain basement club. Now if anyone wants a striker from us, the starting point is £1 million.
“We have shown that players come here and, with excellent coaching and a great work ethic, they can prosper and coming to Accrington will improve their value.” Town fended off plenty of competition to land Jackson, indeed Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAntony has revealed that on Monday evening he thought he would become a Posh player. QPR were also in the hunt, while Saturday’s opponents Rotherham and Preston were also both keen earlier in the summer. Bradford-born Jackson started his professional career with Swindon following success in a 2013 Win a Pro Contract competition run by Samsung when a player with Albion Sports in the Northern Counties East League Division One. While with the Robins, he had spells on loan at Swindon Supermarine and Oxford City, prior to stints with Tamworth, Wrexham and Barnsley before his loan with Grimsby and his permanent switch to his current club last summer.
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