Non league players

[ShorehamRevolution]

I’ve been watching the 6 part documentary on sky sports about Jamie vardys “V9 academy” Wilder has a great knowledge as we know of the lower leagues, they’re cheap fees and cheap wages, the overall player is the half finished product, they just need a chance, a good manager and some time to develop all of which we’re in a position to give, but let’s not forget how hard it is for these players holding down a full time job, juggling family life and also a semi pro football career.
My question is just how many gems can be unearthed from outside the football league? Just how many can within 2/3 years could be playing premier league football?

 

[Sheffsteel]

History shows virtually none.

Many non league players get picked up by league 2 and maybe league 1 clubs
But that’s where they stay.
There’s plenty of non league players who can do a job in the lower leagues but hardly any could impress at PL level.

The Jamie Vardy story is remarkable.

 

[robbiez666]

Ched Adams made us a nice profit. There are a fair few non-league players in the Championship who are doing well. Very rare in the top-flight. It's definitely an area we should always be scouting, especially locally, given our warchest.

 

[CrookesBlade]

Tony Agana, Stuart Pearce and Ian Wright are 3 off the top of my head.

Also remember us picking Matt Duke up from non-league who went on to play for Hull in the Prem.

It seldom happens these days though largely because clubs can gamble on foreign players, academy scouting networks are much that much bigger and the level of fitness and conditioning is far higher.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

That's a long opening sentence.

 

[Bert]

Tony Agana, Stuart Pearce and Ian Wright are 3 off the top of my head.

Also remember us picking Matt Duke up from non-league who went on to play for Hull in the Prem.

It seldom happens these days though largely because clubs can gamble on foreign players, academy scouting networks are much that much bigger and the level of fitness and conditioning is far higher.

Tony Book.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Paul Rogers. Went straight into the side v pigs in that famous 3-1 triumph at the sty and bossed the midfield. Outrageous step up in class accomplished.

 

[RealMcCoy]

2

 

[BushBlade]

Harry Arter went from Woking to Bournemouth and climbed the leagues with them.
Ashley Barnes started at Paulton Rovers.
Charlie Austin, Poole Town.
George Boyd, Stevenage when they were non league.

 

[8lade]

Guy Whittingham

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Peterboro's Marcus Maddison is another - a bit of a twat, but hell of a player.

 

[ucandomagic]

Gary Birtles, Lee Hughes, Chris Smalling, Sam Clucas, Ben Foster, Jordan Pickford

 

[Silent Blade]

Tony Book.

Didnt play league football until he was 30, first match in 1st division was when he was 32. Win League Champions medal at 33, FA Cup at 34 also joint footballer of the year, ECW medal at 35!

 

[Bert]

Didnt play league football until he was 30, first match in 1st division was when he was 32. Win League Champions medal at 33, FA Cup at 34 also joint footballer of the year, ECW medal at 35!

Yes that sounds about right. Without checking Bert's memory thinks he played for Bath.

 

[Silent Blade]

Yes that sounds about right. Without checking Bert's memory thinks he played for Bath.

Yes with Big Mal the manager. Followed him to Plymouth

 

[ShorehamRevolution]

Tony Agana, Stuart Pearce and Ian Wright are 3 off the top of my head.

Also remember us picking Matt Duke up from non-league who went on to play for Hull in the Prem.

It seldom happens these days though largely because clubs can gamble on foreign players, academy scouting networks are much that much bigger and the level of fitness and conditioning is far higher.

Maybe I should have been a little clearer in the OP, you’re right about foreign players, this is pushing the British and Irish olayers further down the leagues.

 

[stringer]

A few have come through that route to be here... Simon Moore, Mark Duffy, Ben Heneghan off the top of my head

 

[Ranmoorblade]

Jimmy Bullard, Kevin Philips, Charlie Austin, Gary Hooper and Troy Deeney all played non league.

 

[NuddysGloves]

Let’s not forget Jimmy Muir!!!

 

[PokerBlade]

You're going to find some youngsters like Adams that didn't make it in an academy for whatever reasons. You're not going to find many these days because clubs snap up the talent as soon as they can. It's hard enough for players stepping up a tier if they're already at the professional level.

 

[knowsnowt]

Terry Henfleet.
Bloke doesn't even exist but became a local football legend.
Gotta give the grunters that one.

 

[Tom Bott]

Some start in non league and some end up going back into non league.

I can foresee many ex Sheffield footballers going back there, a sty full in fact.

 

[SwitchBLADE Smiles]

Didn’t Kevin Davis play at Chesterfield when they were non league? Ended up having a good premier league career.

 

[Treeton Blade]

I’ve been watching the 6 part documentary on sky sports about Jamie vardys “V9 academy” Wilder has a great knowledge as we know of the lower leagues, they’re cheap fees and cheap wages, the overall player is the half finished product, they just need a chance, a good manager and some time to develop all of which we’re in a position to give, but let’s not forget how hard it is for these players holding down a full time job, juggling family life and also a semi pro football career.
My question is just how many gems can be unearthed from outside the football league? Just how many can within 2/3 years could be playing premier league football?

Not a non league player now, but like the look of Forest Greens Christian Doidge.

Scores goals, will play higher, and be better with better players.

A finisher.

 

[S64 Blade]

Beckford and Adams are others.

I think the quality of football is now much better at non league. You get a lot of top club academy players dropping down, so there will be a few diamonds in there who may need a little tweaking to get to the top level.

Look at people like Terry Kennedy who, if he had not been plagued with injury, would likely be playing at Championship level or above. I'm not saying we sign people with an injury record, but there players out there who have dropped down due to bad luck.

 

[SwissBlade]

A few have come through that route to be here... Simon Moore, Mark Duffy, Ben Heneghan off the top of my head

Clayton Donaldson has also dabbled down there too

 

[Silent Blade]

Didn’t Kevin Davis play at Chesterfield when they were non league? Ended up having a good premier league career.

Chesterfield have never been in non-league since 1921

 

[NuddysGloves]

It works both ways though doesn't it, some footballers play non-league and then get an opportunity to step up and seize it because they know how big a chance it is, others are given the chance to start with and waste it. That John Cofie who we had on loan from Man United, swanned around Bramall Lane like he was the bees knees and never really looked interested because clearly he thought he was better than league one, bad attitude and dropped through the divisions and I'm pretty sure he's playing non league for Telford or somebody like that.

Kind of reinforces Tufty's mantra of looking for players who want to prove a point and have the right mentality.

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

Chris Smalling went from Non-League to Fulham, to Man U within a year.

Not a bad jump.

 

[Maidenhead]

Chesterfield have never been in non-league since 1921

Davies is retired now though