While there is a strong propensity for clubs to flash the cash in the transfer market, other players are acquired via more humble means, making their way up from non-league.
By virtue of his former occupation as a bricklayer, the career path of Charlie Austin, from Poole Town to Southampton, is another many casual football fans will be familiar with. He now plies his trade in the Championship with QPR.
But what about the stars that have been at the highest level for so long that you might have forgotten they ever played in non-league football? Or those that you just simply didn’t know about in the first place? Read on for 14 players you might not know enjoyed a stint outside the English Football League.
Non-league may seem like a lightyear away from the glitz and glamour of the Premier League but, every once in a while, it can serve as a breeding ground for some future top-flight stars to hone their craft and get their break at the top.
Everyone knows about Jamie Vardy’s four-year rise from Conference striker with Fleetwood Town to Premier League winner and record-breaker with Leicester City.
By virtue of his former occupation as a bricklayer, the career path of Charlie Austin, from Poole Town to Southampton, is another many casual football fans will be familiar with. He now plies his trade in the Championship with QPR.
But what about the stars that have been at the highest level for so long that you might have forgotten they ever played in non-league football? Or those that you just simply didn’t know about in the first place? Read on for 14 players you might not know enjoyed a stint outside the English Football League.
