Jai Ingham

Australian footballer

Jai Ingham

Ingham playing for Melbourne Victory in a friendly match against Port Melbourne, 9 August 2016

Personal information
Full name|  Jai Emile Mau'u Ingham
Date of birth|  (1993-08-14) 14 August 1993 (age 30)
Place of birth|  Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
Height|  1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s)|  Winger
Team information

Current team

|  South Melbourne
Youth career
2013–2014|  Brisbane Roar
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
2012–2013|  Olympic FC|  23|  (14)
2013–2014|  Brisbane Roar NPL|  11|  (13)
2014–2015|  Brisbane Roar|  1|  (0)
2015–2016|  Hume City|  26|  (9)
2016–2019|  Melbourne Victory|  52|  (4)
2019|  Central Coast Mariners|  0|  (0)
2019–2021|  Brisbane Roar|  12|  (0)
2021|  United City|  0|  (0)
2021–2022|  Gold Coast Knights|  0|  (0)
2022–|  South Melbourne|  28|  (2)
International career‡
2017–|  New Zealand|  4|  (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 November 2022
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 December 2018

Jai Emile Mau'u Ingham (born 14 August 1993) is a professional footballer who plays a winger for National Premier Leagues club South Melbourne. Born in Australia and of New Zealand and Samoan descent, Ingham has represented the New Zealand internationally.

## Career[edit]

### Olympic FC[edit]

Ingham started his career with Olympic FC seniors in the National Premier League while training to be an electrician.[2] In July 2013, he was picked as one of Australia's top eight players outside the A-League.[3] Selected in the QLD NPL football team of the year 2013.

### Brisbane Roar[edit]

At the beginning of the 2013–14 National Youth League, Ingham joined Brisbane Roar's youth side.[4][5] Scoring 13 goals in 11 appearances. Including a second half hat-trick that secured victory over Adelaide.[6]

On 24 January 2014, Ingham debuted for the senior team, coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute of a 2–1 victory over Wellington Phoenix.[7]

### Hume City[edit]

Ingham drew positive reactions while at National Premier Leagues Victoria side Hume City during the 2015 FFA Cup.

### Melbourne Victory[edit]

Ingham trained with Melbourne Victory for a month ahead of the 2016 January transfer window and was signed as the club's first use of the Mature Age Rookie salary cap allowance.[8] Ingham made his debut for Melbourne Victory against the Central Coast Mariners on 8 January 2016, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute for Fahid Ben Khalfallah in an eventual 3–3 draw.[9]

Ingham made his first start for Melbourne Victory in their opening 2016 AFC Champions League match against Shanghai SIPG F.C. on 24 February 2016, in what was only his third appearance for the club. During the match, he scored his first goal for the club, scoring in the 31st minute in an eventual 2–1 win. He then went on to make his first A-League starting appearance on 6 March against the Central Coast Mariners, setting up both Besart Berisha and Fahid Ben Khalfallah for goals and was voted best on ground in a 2–0 win at Central Coast Stadium. Ingham scored the equaliser against Juventus F.C. in a pre-2016–17 A-League season friendly match at the MCG. Ingham scored his first A-League goal for Melbourne Victory on 12 November 2016, against the Western Sydney Wanderers, in an eventual 3–0 win.

Ingham has an impressive AFC Champions League record for Melbourne Victory with 9 appearances 3 goals and 1 assist. Due to this Fox Sports commentator Andy Harper gave him the nickname "The Asian Specialist," after his third goal in Asian Champions League against Chinese giants Guangzhou Evergrande, April 22nd 2019.

Ingham was released by Melbourne Victory at the conclusion of the 2018–19 A-League season.[10][11][12]

### Central Coast Mariners[edit]

In June 2019, Ingham joined Central Coast Mariners on a two-year contract among a host of signings under new coach Alen Stajcic. [13]

### Return to Brisbane Roar[edit]

In August 2019, less than 2 months after signing with Central Coast Mariners, Ingham negotiated a mutual contract release with the club and joined Brisbane Roar.[14] In March 2021, Ingham departed Brisbane Roar.[15]

### United City[edit]

Ingham signed a contract with Philippines Football League side United City as one of their foreign players and the final player in a slew of new signings.[16] This came a few hours after it was announced that Brisbane Roar and Ingham had mutually agreed to terminate the player's contract.

## International career[edit]

In May 2016, Ingham was named to the Samoan national squad for the 2016 OFC Nations Cup[17] however he did not travel to Papua New Guinea for the tournament and was listed as an absentee.[18]

In March 2017, Ingham was called up to the New Zealand national squad for World Cup qualifiers, along with his brother Dane.[19] He made his debut on 28 March 2017 against Fiji.[20]

## Personal life[edit]

Jai is the cousin of Samoan international Johnny Hall[21] and brother of Newcastle Jets player Dane Ingham.[22] In addition to holding an Australian passport, Ingham also holds Samoan and New Zealand passports,[23][24] as he has a Samoan-New Zealand mother and an Australian father.

## Honours[edit]

Melbourne Victory

* A-League Championship: 2017–18

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Jai Ingham". melbournevictory.com.au. Melbourne Victory FC. Archived from the original on 28 June 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
2. ^ Heslehurst, Brayden (30 May 2013). "Gun teen provides spark for Olympic". City South News.
3. ^ Dorman, Matt (12 July 2013). "Ingham & Carroll Best Outside A-League". Football Queensland.
4. ^ "Olympic's Ingham Set For Roar Debut". Olympic FC. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
5. ^ "Roar name NYL squad". Football Federation Australia. 24 October 2013. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
6. ^ "Brisbane sink 10-man Adelaide with late winner". y-league.com.au. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
7. ^ "Brisbane Roar vs. Wellington Phoenix". Soccerway. 24 January 2014.
8. ^ Victory signs Hume City winger Jai Ingham Archived 9 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine Melbourne Victory FC Official Website, 6 January 2016
9. ^ "Central Coast Mariners 3–3 Melbourne Victory". ALeague Stats. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
10. ^ "VICTORY SEVER TIES WITH VISA STARS". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
11. ^ Lynch, Michael. "Baema, Niedermeier and Ingham depart Victory". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
12. ^ "Rebuilding Victory shed Baena, Niedermeier, Ingham". The World Game. Special Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
13. ^ "Four additions to the Mariners squad". Central Coast Mariners. Football Federation Australia. 21 June 2019.
14. ^ Bossi, Dominic (1 August 2019). "Roar deal: Mariners' recruit set to skip town before season begins". The Sydney Morning Herald.
15. ^ "Jai Ingham departs Brisbane Roar". Brisbane Roar. 24 March 2020.
16. ^ del Carmen, Lorenzo (24 March 2021). "United City scores coup with All Whites standout Jai Ingham". Tiebreaker Times.
17. ^ Huckert, Mathias. "Prepared for P.N.G." Samoa Observer. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
18. ^ "SAM 0–8 PNG". Oceania Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 3 August 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
19. ^ "Hudson names his strongest squad". New Zealand Football. 9 March 2017. Archived from the original on 10 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
20. ^ Pine, Jason (29 March 2017). "Football: All Whites power rankings". The New Zealand Herald.
21. ^ Stamocostas, Con. "Hume City flyer aims to outgun Cannons". Four Four Two. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
22. ^ Gareth Morgan (18 July 2020). "Ingham strike fires Glory to victory". Perth Glory FC. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
23. ^ "Melbourne Victory attacker could play for New Zealand in Confederations Cup". Sporting News. Archived from the original on 24 February 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
24. ^ Huguenin, Michael. "Victory's Ingham eligible for New Zealand". goal.com. Retrieved 24 February 2017.

## External links[edit]

* Jai Ingham at WorldFootball.net
* Jai Ingham at Soccerway

* v
* t
* e

South Melbourne FC - current squad

* 1 Javier Lopez
* 2 Tong
* 3 Lampard
* 4 Jankovic
* 5 Marshall
* 6 Inglese
* 7 Brennan(c)
* 8 Barcia
* 9 Sawyer
* 11 Wallen
* 12 Sey
* 15 Spiteri
* 16 Peios
* 17 Halfpenny
* 18 Francou
* 20 Bates
* 21 Archibald
* 22 Mikkola
* 23 Evans
* 24 Bonada
* 27 Painter-Andrews
* 80 Tsitsinaris
* Paolilli
* Coach: Quintas

* v
* t
* e

Samoa squad – 2016 OFC Nations Cup

* 1 Matagi
* 2 Hall
* 3 Tagaloa
* 4 Bureta
* 5 Sale
* 6 R. Martin
* 7 Mobberley
* 8 C. Martin
* 9 Scanlan
* 10 Fa'aiuaso
* 11 ~~Ingham~~
* 12 Saofaiga
* 13 Taylor
* 14 Kapisi
* 15 Gosche
* 16 Alimonti
* 17 Dan-Tyrell
* 18 Pupi
* 19 Toni
* 20 Si. Malo
* 21 Sa. Malo
* 22 Tapelu
* 23 Sikovi
* Coach: Easthope

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals
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*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template