ISL 2020-21: Everything you need to know about Jamshedpur FC winger Nick Fitzgerald
Jamshedpur FC have bolstered their attack by bringing in Australian winger Nicholas John Fitzgerald, better known as Nick Fitzgerald. The 28-year-old is the club's seventh foreign acquisition for the upcoming season and fulfills the club's mandatory AFC Asian player quota.
The versatile frontman comes with a proven track record in Australia's A-League, winning the championship twice. He can make quality runs down the flanks and add to the strike force. The Aussie has amassed a total of 218 appearances and netted 23 goals in his decade-long stay Down Under.
Let's take a deeper look at his career:
Here's all you need to know about Nick Fitzgerald:
#1 Early beginnings
Born in Sydney, Nick Fitzgerald played at several local clubs before joining Central Coast Mariners' U21 team in 2009. A year later, he gained promotion to the senior squad and made his professional debut in an A-League fixture against Wellington Phoenix. He was sent out on loan to Queensland State League side Bundaberg Spirit in the summer of 2010, to gain match time and experience.
#2 Back-to-back Championship wins
Nick Fitzgerald completed a successful four-week trial at the A-League outfit, Brisbane Roar FC and penned a two-year deal. The NSW attacker won his maiden A-League Championship Winners medal in his first season at Brisbane. He appeared a dozen times and netted once for the champions. He also made his debut in the coveted AFC Champions League in 2012.
Halfway through the 2012-13 season, Nick rejoined his boyhood club Central Coast Mariners after a mutual termination of his contract at Roar. In the same season, Nick went on to win his second successive A-League title. He appeared in nine league matches for the Mariners and scored once.
He spent three more seasons at the Central Coast before heading to Melbourne City FC in 2016, where he went on to win the FFA Cup in his first year. He played a total of 63 league games and scored eight times in his three seasons at Melbourne.
#3 Recent Stints
Nick Fitzgerald was released by City in 2018 and spent a season with the Western Sydney Wanderers, before moving to Newcastle Jets. He scored a total of four goals in 20 league games and three FFA Cup matches for the Jets. The speedster signed the dotted line for Jamshedpur FC on October 21 this year.
Fitzgerald will don Jersey No. 22 for Jamshedpur and is expected to start against Chennaiyin FC in their ISL season-opener.