Image: Graeme Furlong
Kingston City have made their sixth acquisition of the off-season following the signing of striker Emile Damey from Nunawading City as well as re-signing six first-team members from the 2016 squad.
The 22-year-old fringe Liberian international moves to 2016 NPL2 Champions after spending the past 18 months at Mahoneys Reserve where he scored 10 goals in 34 league games.
Born in Guinea, Damey moved to Townsville in his youth and spent his early years of senior football playing for the likes of Brisbane Wolves and Western Pride in his home state.
After spending time with the Australasian Soccer Academy in 2013, he featured for Malaysian Premier League club DRB Hicom and Thai second tier side Seeker FC.
A move to Europe followed with Austrian lower league side SV Horn, who are part owned by AC Milan and Japan midfielder Keisuke Honda.
A desire to return home to Australia saw him join inaugural club Murray United ahead of the 2015 NPL2 season before transferring to Nunawading mid-season.
A bright start to life at the Forest Hill-based club saw him score 7 goals in 13 league matches, which included a brilliant consolation strike in a 7-1 defeat at the hands of his new employers Kingston.
However he found the going much tougher in his first full season with the club, netting three times in 21 games, including a brace against former side Murray in City’s first win of the NPL era.
Consolation for Damey came with a mid-season call-up to the Liberian national team, where the spirited striker scored as the Lone Stars were defeated 4-2 by the Moroccan Under 23 side in a B international, in addition to being an used substitute in their 4-1 loss to Tunisia.
Kingston Manager Nick Tolios was delighted with the signing and hopes Damey can reach his potential after a frustrating season with the NPL2 cellar-dwellers, as he looks to replace the goalscoring boots left vacant following the departure of his compatriot Jerry Karpeh towards the end of the campaign.
“Emile is an out-an-out centre forward who has plenty of ambition and desire to succeed. He is determined to take his game to the next level and is excited to be at a club where he won’t be restricted. Hopefully that means we can bring the best out of him,” Tolios said.
He joins Daniel Bennett, Faisal Sakhizada, Nathan Tidmarsh, Chris Irwin and Corey Slevin as new arrivals to the dressing room at The Grange Reserve.
In an additional boost for the club heading into their first top flight campaign in 10 years, six players have re-contracted with the Clayton South based side.
Defenders Ryan Love and Simo Jovanovic have re-committed after a solid debut season at the back for the club, as have midfielders Slaven Vranesevic and Mouad Zwed.
Star playmaker Velibor Mitrovic and promotion hero Damian Iaconis have also re-signed after contributing to 28 goals in the club’s promotion winning campaign in the second tier.