Who Has Recently Made It Big from the Lower Leagues?

Buying players from Non-League teams is often seen as a gamble by big Premier League and even Championship teams. Basically, the logic the club will risk a small amount of money, hoping for a larger gain in the future. An equivalent for an individual would be to put a small amount of money on an online jackpot game hoping that s/he would win big. If Jamie Vardy was able to make it big in the Premier League, why wouldn’t you win a staggering amount of money? Nowadays you can even play casino games on your smartphone. Here’s a good list of mobile casinos and games if you’re feeling lucky. In the meantime, we’ll take a look of some of the most recent examples of former Non-League players who succeeded on the ‘main’ stage.

Jamie Vardy

Every story on Non-League players who succeeded on the big scene, simply has to include Jamie Vardy. The Yorkshireman is a remarkable example that it is never too late. Back in 2007, then 20 year old Vardy played for Stocksbridge Park Steels where he earned £30 a week. A mere £30 a week, and only 9 years later he won the Premier League with Leicester. It is beyond belief. Vardy played for SPS until 2010 when he was hired by Halifax Town, and next season he played for Fleetwood Town. Leicester City, his current club, bought him in 2012 for an amount of £1 million, which was the highest amount paid for a Non-League player. The club then managed to get promoted to the Premier League and eventually win it in 2016. Vardy decided to turn down Arsenal’s offer and remain at Leicester.

Lee Tomlin

Speaking of Leicester, we have to mention Leicester born Lee Tomlin who currently plays in the Championship, for Bristol City. Tomlin started his youth career at Leicester, but professionally he was playing for Non-League team Rushden & Diamonds for 5 seasons, before he joined League 1 team Peterborough United and then he was sold to Championship team Middlesbrough. Tomlin got his Premier League action as a Bournemouth player in the 2015/16 season, which was the club’s first season as a Premier League team. Tomlin wasn’t as nearly as successful as Jamie Vardy and he was then loaned out and eventually sold to Bristol City.

Dwight Gayle

Dwight Gayle’s path from Non-League football to the Premier League was pretty short, but very eventful. He started his youth career at Arsenal, but the Gunners saw no potential in him and he was quickly released. His first senior club was Stansted and they compete in the Essex Senior League. Gayle scored 40 goals in 42 matches before he was bought by Dagenham & Redbridge. Dag & Red were in League 2 at that point, but Gayle was immediately loaned out to Bishop’s Stortford for a season. Interestingly, he also played for Peterborough United before being sold to Crystal Palace where he made his Premier League debut. In 2016 he was bought by Newcastle, a team that got relegated to the Championship.

Yannick Bolasie

Congo international Yannick Bolasie is another curious example. Bolasie started his career at a youth level with Rushden & Diamonds and then went on to play for Hillingdon Borough. Hillingdon Borough played in the Southern Football League, which is in the eleventh tier of English football. It practically doesn’t get any lower than that. Bolasie is one of the very few players who played at such a low level, yet managed to reach the Premier League. Bolaise has been playing for Crystal Palace since 2012 and it has been reported that the club won’t sell him at a price lower than £28 million. Apparently, clubs like West Ham, Tottenham and Everton are interested in him.