Knights sign Young Socceroo as second off-season recruit

Melbourne Knights has moved swiftly in the off-season transfer window, securing its second 2017 signing with former Young Socceroo Jake Barker-Daish agreeing to terms with the Club on Wednesday.

The midfielder comes to Somers Street having been a stand-out in Richmond SC’s 2016 campaign which saw him net 8 goals in a side which succumbed to relegation.

Despite being just 23 years old, Barker-Daish brings a wealth of experience to the Knights. Having being awarded a scholarship during his junior years, Barker-Daish was selected for he Australian Institute of Sport at just 15 years of age. Being capped at Under 17 & Under 20 levels, he would go on to represent Australia at the FIFA Under 20 World Cup in Colombia.

He moved to Queensland at the beginning of the 2011-12 A-League season signing for Gold Coast United and making 7 appearances, before a subsequent move to Adelaide United. He would feature in 19 appearances over 2 injury-interrupted seasons for the Reds, scoring 2 goals in their elimination final loss to Brisbane Roar.

Whilst trialling in the UK, Barker-Daish was on the verge of signing a professional contract before cruelly been struck down by injury which forced a return back home to Melbourne, signing for NPL Rivals South Melbourne in 2015.

Andrew Marth will be hoping the signing of Barker-Daish into the midfield will give Knights additional firepower in their front third as the Club look to build on this past season’s FFA Cup campaign.

At the age of fifteen, Jake spent two years at the Institute, where he made multiple appearances for the Australian Under 17 and Under 20s team. Most significantly, this included a visit to Colombia in 2011 to represent Australia at the FIFA Under 20 World Cup. Jake moved north following the World Cup and he joined Gold Coast United in the A-League, making seven appearances.

Despite the demise of that club, his time in the A-League wasn’t at an end as he then joined Adelaide United. Across two seasons, Jake made nineteen appearances for Adelaide, scored two goals and came off the bench in Adelaide’s 2013 Elimination Final loss to Brisbane Roar.

From all at Somers Street, welcome to Melbourne Knights, Jake!

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