Folkestone Invicta Football Club are delighted to announce that we have agreed terms with forward Ira Jackson Jr to keep to forward at the Alcaline Stadium for 2 more years.

Jackson extends his second stay at the club having returned to Cheriton Road on the eve of the 22/23 season following spells with Grimsby Town in the football league and Wealdstone in the National League.

It’s fantastic news that Mev [Micheal Everitt] and I have been able to retain Ira’s service. He is an undoubted talent at this level with the ability to cause any defence problems and a strong character in the dressing room. We have high hopes for him in the season ahead.” – Roland Edge

Ira found the net 13 times and provided 11 assists in 50 appearances last season to add to 34 goals and 12 assists in 56 games from January 2019 until March 2020 before the COVID pandemic brought the 19/20 season the a premature end.

“I’ve been at many clubs over the years in non league and in the professional set up and I haven’t found one where I’ve felt as at home as I have with Folkestone. Part of that could be to do with the fact that I’m from Folkestone but the main part is that l am settled and I am free to be me.

 

As a player one of the things you wish for in your career is a place you can call home; amongst trophies and career moves, you want to be somewhere where you’re loved and I have that here at Folkestone. At this stage of life, getting married and things like that it’s important to be settled and enjoying football as a priority.

 

Last season we didn’t achieve our collective objectives and I didn’t achieve my personal ones so you could say there’s unfinished business and although it wasn’t a horrible season; the standards we’ve set as a club and I’ve set as an individual mean that we’ve got work to do for next season to put ourselves back to where Folkestone deserve to be and I’m committing for these two years to lead that charge. It doesn’t just mean something to me for personal reasons but also because I believe the fans, Cugs who’s dedicated his life to the club and the new gaffers deserve to make history and I’d love to score the goals and create the moments that make that happen.” – Ira Jackson Jr

Stay tuned to our website and social media channels over the coming days for news on player retentions and signings as Micheal Everitt and Roland Edge continue to shape their squad for the 23/24 season.