GOLDMINE
The successful transition of players from nonleague football to England’s top division relies
on equal measures of talent, hard work and
opportunities, with the aforementioned players
serving as perfect examples of what can be
achieved through scouting the lower divisions.
In a recent interview, Luton Town manager
John Still said ‘Jamie Vardy’s not a one-off. But
the talent is being missed,’ he should know,
given that his Luton Town side won promotion
to League 2 with the line being led by Andre
Gray.
Now Championship top scorer, Gray is
potentially the next non-league to Premier
League success story, having been promoted
from the Championship with Burnley
this season.
Leicester City’s scouting team will continue to
scour the National Leagues in search
of the next Jamie Vardy, while
it’s been rumoured that other
clubs are likely to follow suit,
with Arsene Wenger expressing his love
for the hunger that non-league instils within
players.
Ex-Spurs and Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood
claimed that it was ‘not as sexy’ to sign nonleague players as opposed to players from
abroad, which is something that could certainly
change given the momentum behind the Vardy
fairy tale.
There are many positives from Leicester City’s
title triumph and Vardy’s enormous success in
the Premier League, one of those is that we are
much more likely to see non-league stars in the
future due to the increased scrutiny that scouts
will be placing upon the league.
What remains to be seen is who it’s