Boost for St Johnstone’s new dad Jackson

Jul 23 2010 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

ANDY Jackson had added cause for a spring in his step yesterday as he looks forward to the new season.

The St Johnstone striker has become a dad for the first time and it’s given him added incentive to play his way into an extended deal at McDiarmid Park.

The last two years have been fraught with injury and illness for the player who attracted Republic of Ireland U21 honours before bouts of illness were followed by knee and achilles surgery.

But yesterday, he joined the Perth squad in training, just hours after wife Lee-Anne gave birth to daughter Aimee Leigh at Stirling Royal Infirmary.

Jackson, who was spared duty at Arbroath in midweek and again tonight at Berwick Rangers, said: “I can’t keep the smile off my face. I’m buzzing.

“The gaffer, Derek McInnes, has been great about it. I was at the hospital for six hours on Wednesday and I’ll be back in again before Lee-Anne and the baby get home on Friday.”

Jackson (22) admitted that for once it had been a pleasure rather than a pain to attend the hospital.

He said: “One of the hospital staff called me Andy and asked how I was getting on when I went into the ward to see my wife. The nurse remembered me and that can’t be a good thing!

“But for once I was happy being in a hospital. It was great being at the birth.”

Jackson’s first flirtation with the Royal was when he collapsed at an end of season First Division game at Stirling Albion. He arrived in casualty in an ambulance with lights flashing and sirens wailing.

Then he was back in a hospital bed after a bowel scare and followed it up with a lung infection. Throw in surgery at Rosshall and Edinburgh and Jackson admitted: “I have been in hospitals all over Scotland.”

Jackson got a run in the 3-1 weekend win at Forfar and is looking forward to the two-game trip to Belfast next week.

He said: “I’ll miss the baby but we are only away four days and that will pass quickly. Hopefully I’ll get game time over there.

“Because I was still recovering from my last operation there was a doubt in my mind if I’d be offered a new contract over the summer. It was a worry, especially with a baby on the way.

“So I was delighted the gaffer gave me a deal through to Christmas. I could relax a bit. And I’m determined to play my way into an extended contract.

“I feel fitter than at any time in the last two years.

“We didn’t go away on holiday over the summer and physio Nick Summersgill fixed me up with a personal trainer at Stirling Uni and that has helped enormously.

“I always knew I was good enough but it is just a question of staying fit to play football. By doing that I can give myself a real chance.”

Manager McInnes said: “It’s a great boost for Andy. Becoming a parent is special. I didn’t want him to miss out.

“He has been bombing along in training, just as you would expect. We spared him duty at Arbroath and Berwick but he will play in the U19s game at Newburgh on Saturday against Turriff.

“That will set him up for Ireland.”