Jackson was a prolific scorer for his club side Caversham in the winter league, and there was keen interest in how well he would perform in the step up to the ASB Premiership.
Despite Southern United not doing so well - the club is bottom of the league, four points below second bottom team Canterbury United - Jackson has led the attack with determined athleticism and no mean skill, to score nine goals in the 15 matches played so far this season.
Jackson initially attended Logan Park High School, then studied at Marshall University in the United States for four years on a football scholarship.
He had a week-long trial last season with the Wellington Phoenix who might well reassess the striker after his goalscoring prowess for Southern.
However, his career was interrupted when he received a six-month ban last year after an incident with a referee, but all that is behind him now, and Southern coach Mike Fridge showed his respect for the player by appointing him as team captain this season.
So Jackson, with nine goals, needs to hit the net a couple of times this weekend if he is to overhaul Tyler Boyd of the Phoenix who is Golden Boot leader with 10 goals.
Team mates Andrew Ridden, Jude Fitzpatrick and Nick Hindson have two goals each, and Tom Connor and Victor da Costa scored one each.
'' Obviously, I'd like to score a couple, but this is a team game and everyone has to do their job. If the lads play well, and opportunities arise. Who knows ?'' the striker said.
Coach Fridge has consistently played either a 4-2-3-1 formation, or the similar 4-5-1 pattern, and seems unlikely to change matters and push another striker forward to aid Jackson's goal chase.
Southern starts without regulars Tom Connor and George Milne, who are unavailable, which might create a reshuffle with more attacking edge, but the likely team shape will probably once again have striker Jackson ploughing a lonely furrow up front.
Peter Smith's WaiBOP team has won six games from 15 matches to earn sixth place in the Premiership, but is only on 19 points, close enough for Southern to confidently hunt the away win.
The journey north in this last fixture, requires a very early start at Dunedin International Airport, then from Auckland a two-hour bus journey, Fridge said.
''It makes for a long hard day, since we do not kick-off until 5pm.
''We have been playing better than our results suggest, and last time out WaiBOP only beat us 1-0, with a near unrepeatable freekick.
"So I am confident that we can compete in this last game, and since we will be staying overnight, a win could switch on some spirited celebrations.''
Southern United v WaiBOP United
Hamilton, today, 5pm
Southern United: Tom Batty, Ross Howard, Craig Ferguson, Cam Attwood, Matt Joy, Taylor McCormack, Eder Franchini Pasten, Andrew Ridden, Thom Jackson, Morgan Day, Tim McLennan, Nicholas Hindson, David Hayman, Josh Dijkstra, Mike Neaverson.
WaiBOP United: Alfie Rogers, Aaron Scott, Robbie Greenhalgh, Mark Jones, Dylan Stansfield, Federico Marquez, Fergus Neil, Reid Drake, Alexis Varela, Danyon Drake, Craig Wylie, Nate Kinney, Wade Moloney, Jarrod Young.
