Thousands rise to their feet inside Wembley Stadium, as Gillingham sets up for what could be the last corner kick of regulation. The ball is hoofed into the box, and among all the black and blue Shrewsbury jerseys, Simeon Jackson leaps to put his head on the perfectly placed cross. The ball hits the post, bounces off the goalie’s hands and crosses the goal line. The blue side of Wembley erupts as Jackson runs with his teammates to celebrate a legendary League Two Final in London. 

That goal shot Simeon Jackson into the spotlight in England, and helped him grab the attention of his current club Norwich City. Last year in the English Championship, Jackson’s 13 goals led Norwich City to be promoted to the Premier League. 

Jackson, the Mississauga native, finds himself in a much different scenario nearing three years after that historic goal for Gillingham. He’s started a handful this season for Norwich, and has been limited to substitution appearances. When Norwich made the jump to the Premier League, they bolstered their attack with more strikers, making it difficult until recently for Jackson to see regular minutes. 

“I’ve been lucky enough and blessed to have been given the opportunity to play in the Premier League,” Jackson said. “It’s totally different, because there are more strikers (at Norwich). I have to go out every practise and work hard and just wait for my chance.”

Jackson said his big moment in the Premier could come as a result of other strikers getting hurt. 

“That’s what it always comes down to for the ones who aren’t playing. As a player, you just have to be ready to jump on that chance,” Jackson said.

“Sometimes you just need a bad situation for one player to catapult you, and move you onto bigger and better things.”

Jackson’s journey to make it to England’s top flight has been humbling, he says. 

He’s moved to Canada from Jamaica at the age of three and lived with his Aunt Joan Jackson and Uncle Norman Jackson in Mississauga.

“Simeon loved to play hockey, and would often borrow his classmate’s skates and sticks,” Joan Jackson said.  “Although Simeon really wanted to play hockey, I ended up signing the boys (Simeon and his cousin Norman Junior) up for soccer because it was a lot cheaper and didn’t have as much travelling as hockey.”

Joan’s decision paid off. Simeon’s first big break was when he caught the eye of a scout his aunt Joan had met through work. 

“Simeon was playing for the Mississauga rep team at the time. He was asked by the scout to travel with him and some other players to England, for trials at Coventry City,” Joan Jackson said. “Unfortunately Simeon hurt his ankle a couple weeks before the trials. But he still made the trip and it was a good experience for him.”

His cousin Norman Junior said that the trials gave Simeon a taste of what pro soccer was like in England, and acted as a stepping stone in his career. 

At 15 years old, Jackson moved to England and lived with his aunt in Croydon, just south of London. 

“Although Simeon was brought to England by the scout, he decided to part ways with them and try to make it alone in England, while going to school there,” Norman, Jr. said. 

After failed trials at Dulwich Hamlet F.C. and Gillingham, Jackson joined non-league side Rushden and Diamonds, where he spent four seasons playing from 2004 to 2007. Jackson’s 19 goals with Rushden helped grab the attention of Gillingham in the 2007/2008 season, and he signed with the League Two club. 

The rest is history, Jackson went on to score 38 goals in three seasons with the “Gills. This time in England’s lower leagues helped Jackson develop his hustle and heart mentality. 

“It’s a great story when you look at it,” Jackson said. “For the younger Canadian players who want to go over to England and have a successful career. There are a lot of ups and downs, but it really comes down to how you deal with the adversities.” 

“The journey has been brilliant so far. It makes playing and starting for Canada a lot more worthwhile.”

Jackson said it was an amazing experience to be a part of the promotion process for two different English clubs. But helping Norwich City to advance to the Premier League will always hold a special place in his heart. The honeymoon is still ongoing with the Norwich City faithful, and Jackson said to be a part of any Premier League promotion is incredible. 

“It’s hard to describe the support we get from the fans in Norwich. There are fans that have followed the club for years,” Jackson said.  “It’s in their family and the family’s tradition, and that’s how it is with all the clubs in England. But to have that support at Carrow Road (Norwich City’s stadium) week in and week out, really does push you on.”

Although Jackson has struggled to break into the highly competitive Norwich starting eleven, he has slowly become an integral part of Canada’s World Cup plans. Jackson’s scoring rate for Canada isn’t as remarkable as some of his past clubs in England, but Canada’s head coach Stephen Hart believes all Jackson needs is one goal. 

Hart said it’s just a matter of Jackson getting back some confidence, and one goal could go a long way for a striker. 

“Even the best strikers in the world go for long periods without scoring,” Hart said.

“The chances are starting to come for Simeon, and I just have that feeling that things are going to start falling for him,” Hart said. “Simeon does anything for Canada, he’s played on the right side of midfield, and he’s played up front.”

Jackson said some Canadian players that have had successful careers in Europe, have given him great advice. One of those players is Julian De Guzman, once a catalyst in the midfield for Deportivo La Coruna in La Liga, now a Toronto FC Designated player. 

“I think it’s important for Simeon, along with other Canadian players, to be getting regular playing time with their clubs. One thing I think the Canadian national team lacks is having guys playing at high levels,” De Guzman said. “When you have guys starting, they’re going to be fit and confident coming into the Canada camp.”

De Guzman said getting respect in England is tough but players have to grind it out and gain their stripes over the years. 

“I know Simeon isn’t getting a lot of playing time at Norwich, but it’s normal for a young Canadian player overseas,” De Guzman said. “It takes a lot of patience and belief, but we need to realise that not a lot of Canadians get a chance to play at such a high level like Simeon.”

Will Johnson, another teammate on the Canadian National team, plays for Real Salt Lake in the MLS. He also knows about the difficulties young Canadian players can go through in England. After a short spell at Blackburn Rover’s youth team, Johnson worked hard as a substitute for NEC Nijmegen in Holland.

Johnson said he knew Simeon as a kid during their times in Canada’s youth squads

“To see the player he’s become, it’s really amazing,” Johnson said. “He just packed his bags and went for it. I have a lot of respect for that because I know a lot of players try to make it in England.” 

“From where he’s been to now seeing him in the Premier League is a heck of an achievement,” Johnson said. “I don’t think people many understand truly how difficult it is to come out of lower leagues like that and to keep yourself motivated.”

“No one thinks of Canada to have good soccer players, but we do have a lot of talent,” Johnson said. “And when you tell them you’re a Canadian kid trying to make it, they all ask, ‘well what are you doing here?’.” 

Johnson said Jackson’s impact on Canadian soccer has already been huge. 

“He’s got a lot of people believing in him now, and he’s got a whole country on his shoulders waiting for him to score goals, for not only Norwich, but Team Canada too,” Johnson said. 

Many Canadian fans are amazed at Jackson’s rise from some of the lowest divisions in England to possibly the best league in the world. But his Aunt Joan Jackson said she wasn’t surprised at all.

“I’m happy and excited, but this was a dream I knew was going to come true,” Joan Jackson said. “Every time Simeon would come home, we’d hear about his progress, and it was only a matter of time."

And just like many fans of Canadian soccer, Joan and Norm Jr. get up early every weekend and cheer for Jackson’s Norwich City. Because they believe, it’s only a matter of time for Simeon to break out and capture the attention of the world’s most talked about league

Keaton Robbins can be found writing regularly for SB Nation's WAKING THE RED, which delivers some of the most comprehensive coverage of MLS side Toronto FC.